To Hazard a Guest
by Bad Notions
Summary: It's bad enough when a wounded Saito passes out on the Aoiya's doorstep. But when someone frames the cop for murder, Misao must take action despite the Wolf's protest. Then again, she might just end up killing him herself!
1. Conflicting Views

To Hazard a Guest - chapter one

  
  


Summary - It's bad enough when a wounded Saito passes out on the Aoiya's doorstep. But when someone frames the cop for murder, Misao must take action despite the Wolf's protest. Then again, she might just end up killing him herself!

  


Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

  


Note - Most of the story will be set in the Meiji era, however the plot is based on a real event that occurred while Saito was part of the Shinsengumi. The real Itou did lead a mass resignation from the Shinsengumi after the forced suicide of Yamanami. The real Saito did leave with this group and eventually assassinate Itou on Hijikata's orders. Nakamura Ryouhei is an OC.

  
  


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Chapter 1 - Conflicting Views

  
  


Assassination is the extreme form of censorship.

- George Bernard Shaw

  
  


Kyoto, 1865

  
  


Saito Hajime walked casually through the bustling lanes. He was not wearing the familiar blue and white hoari of the Shinsengumi. Indeed, he had not been a member of that group for some weeks now, having resigned along with the other followers of Itou Kashitarou. At least that is what most were allowed to believe.

  


Without warning a young man accidently bumped into the former Third Captain. Barely pausing to utter a soft "gomen", the youth hurried away and was lost in the crowd. Ignoring the rude gesture, Saito began to edge his way to a deserted alley.

  


Once he was confident no one could observe his actions, Saito opened the note the other man had slipped into his hand during their brief encounter. The message was short and direct:

  


Kill Itou and report back to me.

  


-Hijikata

  


With a slight smirk, the Shinsengumi spy pulled out a match and struck it, then burned the note to ashes. Slipping back out into the teeming main street, he headed for the inn where he and his "fellow deserters" were residing.

  


******************************

  
  


Itou Kashitarou stood by the open shouji contemplating his next move. It was only a matter of time before Kondou and Hijikata sent assassins for him. After all, if they could force an old friend such as Yamanami to commit seppuku why should they falter at ordering his demise?

  


The former military advisor gave a small sigh. Still, it would not be easy for them. Many were dissatisfied, not only with the handling of Yamanami's case but with the group's continued support of the Shogunate. Several of their best swordsmen had resigned with him, including the Captain of the Third Unit, Saito Hajime. Skilled and intelligent, there were none in the ranks of the Shinsengumi, excepting Okita, who could stand against him. That one conversion was a small victory in itself.

  


Granted the attitudes of those at the top probably had more to do with Saito's decision than agreement with his viewpoints. Despite all his competence and loyalty, like Itou himself, the man was an outsider. He had not been with them since their days at the Shieikan Dojo, and so he was not worthy of the same respect they gave to Okita or Harada. Realizing this fact must have stung.

  


Just then, the subject of his thoughts wandered into the courtyard. The tall, grime man spoke briefly to another swordsman hanging around the well before making his way over to him. It was obvious by the look on his face that there were matters he wished to discuss. With a nod, Itou waved him into his small chamber and closed the shouji behind them.

  


"Something troubling you Saito-san?" the older man inquired politely.

  


"Anou, actually there was, but the problem has been resolved now."

  


For some reason the smirk on Saito's face made Itou nervous, but he pushed the feeling aside.

  


"Naruhodo. And what news of our former allies? I assume Hijikata has made some statement concerning our departure?"

  


"Hai, he has."

  


An uneasy silence followed the simple acknowledgment. Sweat began to collect on Itou's brow as real fear crept into his heart. Why did Saito refuse to say anything more? Why was he just watching him, as if he enjoyed his discomfiture? With some effort, the former advisor swallowed hard and forced himself to speak again.

  


"What did he say?"

  


The other man's strange, penetrating amber gaze locked with his own, holding him as surely as if someone had physically laid hands on him. The faint sound of scraping metal rang in his ears.

  


"He said to tell you that there is no one who can betray the Shinsengumi and live."

  


Itou opened his mouth in an attempt to reason with the Third Captain, but the words never had a chance to form. Saito suddenly launched himself across the room and buried his katana in the traitor's chest. He wrenched it free again as the other man slumped to the floor with a gentle thud, eyes already starting to glaze.

  


"But....why? I thought.... Our truth?"

  


"There is only one truth I believe in. The truth of Aku. Soku. Zan."

  


Quickly wiping the blood from his sword, Saito was just about to sheath it again when the shouji unexpectedly flew open.

  
  


~TBC ~

  
  



	2. Lost Faith, Renewed Friendship

To Hazard a Guest

  
  


Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its character, etc.

  
  


Note - Thoughts are in italics.

  


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Chapter 2. Lost Faith, Renewed Friendship

  
  


The cruelest lies are often told in silence.

-Robert Louis Stevenson

  
  


Kyoto, 1865

  
  


Nakamura Ryouhei frowned again, his eyes drawn once more to the room Itou and Saito had disappeared into a short while before. Something was wrong. He had known the moment the former Third Captain stepped through the gate. The man seemed too intensely focused, the way he always did before an important mission.

  


Ryouhei shook his head at himself. Why should he be worried? Itou was a wise man used to dealing with crises. And he trusted no one more in a desperate situation than Saito Hajime. Whatever it was, those two would surely find a solution.

  


_Still, could it hurt to check in with them and see if they require any help?_

  


Grunting at his own foolishness, he abandoned his seat by the well and strode across the courtyard to Itou's room. He almost announced his presence, but an odd noise from within caused him to pause. Listening carefully he thought he could make out Itou's voice though not his words. What he heard next, however, made his blood to run cold.

  


"There is only one truth I believe in. The truth of Aku. Soku. Zan."

  


_It's not possible! There must be some mistake. This can't be what it sounds like. Saito-san would not betray us!_

Forgetting etiquette in his need to prove that one of the two men he admired most was not

a traitor, Ryouhei threw open the shouji. For a moment he could only gape at the scene inside. Itou lay on the floor in a pool of blood. Beside the body stood Saito, his sword still in hand. Finally the scowling Third Captain took a step toward him, and Ryouhei recovered his senses enough to raise the alarm.

  


"Traitor! Saito has murdered Itou-san! Saito is a traitor!"

  


Drawing his own sword, the youth charged his former leader. The action was a futile gesture at best. Before he ever had the chance to swing Saito's blade cut him down.

  


Ryouhei collapsed in a spasm of pain, the world around him growing hazy. There were people outside running and shouting, and cries of agony as more men were struck down. Then someone rushed into the room and rolled him gently over, frantically calling his name, but the youth was no longer able to respond. His last coherent thought as the darkness took him was: _At least I can still follow Itou-san._

  
  


*************************

  
  


The other members of the Shinsengumi scurried to get out of Okita's way as he stalked across the compound. Ever since Itou and his followers' departure, the First Captain had been in an unusually foul mood and no one dared to risk his wrath.

  


Discovering an unoccupied bench, the young man flung himself down upon it, tightly wrapping his arms about his chest. He stared at the ground with a petulant look on his face. To be honest he didn't really care about most of those ahous' desertion. Hijikata would deal with that insult. It was the loss of one particular member causing his current irritability. _Why of all people did Saito-san have to leave?!_

  


Lately it seemed all he did was lose friends. And in a very short span of time Saito had become a good one. Perhaps it was because the two were so close in age compared to everyone else Okita knew, or maybe the way the Third Captain always treated him like an exact equal appealed to him. Whatever the case, he genuinely enjoyed the man's company despite his somewhat stoic nature and sorely missed it now.

  


A darker thought took hold of his mind. _What if they order me to hunt down Saito-san?_ Okita groaned aloud at the morbid idea. He did not think he had the moral strength to go through that again. Not so soon after Yamanami...

  


Someone walked up beside the bench where he was sitting and silently awaited his notice. Annoyed by the intrusion, the First Captain glanced up with the intention of sending the nuisance away, but found his jaw dropping and his eyes growing wide with surprise instead. Quickly recovering himself, he found the grin that had been missing for weeks gracing his boyish face once more.

  


"Saito-san!"

  


The Third Captain quirked an eyebrow in response. "Of course. Were you expecting someone else?"

  


"Iie. But, I thought..."

  


"Hn. You thought? Now there is a new concept."

  


If possible, Okita's grin grew even wider with the teasing. Then a more serious look took its place.

  


"Honestly, it's good to see you again Saito-san. When you left without so much as a farewell, I feared we would only meet again as enemies. Why did you go? What happened with Itou?"

  


"Okita-san, it is hardly appropriate for me to explain myself to you before I have even reported to my superior. Needless to say the traitor has been dealt with. If you are in such a great hurry to learn the details of my mission, then you can come with me to Hijikata's office. I doubt he would object to your presence."

  


Smiling softly, Okita nodded his agreement and stood to accompany his friend.

  
  
  


~TBC ~

  
  



	3. Shadows from the Past

To Hazard a Guest

  


Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

  


Note - Thoughts are in italics.

  


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Chapter 3. Shadows from the past.

  


All sins cast long shadows.

-Irish Proverb

  
  


Kyoto, 1880

  
  


Officer Fujita Goro strolled down the street with a friendly smile on his face. He tipped his cap to a couple of ladies he met on his way into the police station. Once he stepped through the doors however he became another man altogether.

  


The smile turned into a smirk. The almost closed eyes opened a bit wider to reveal piercing amber orbs that watched one like a predator eyeing his next meal. The good-natured demeanor vanished, leaving behind a harsh, calculating personality. Officer Fujita Goro had become Saito Hajime, the Wolf of Mibu. Not that anyone in the department other than Chou knew his real identity.

  


Entering his office, he saw that three new files had been placed on his desk. Someone was smuggling weapons into the area in the most brazen fashion he had ever encountered. It was as if they were daring someone to take notice. He hoped this would not turn out to be another group of lunatics bent on overthrowing the Meiji government to satisfy personal grievances. Taking his seat, he lit a cigarette and began pouring over the new information.

  


He had barely skimmed over the first page when Chou waltzed through into the room without bothering to knock first.

  


"Boss! Some guy came by the station while you was gone and left this here note for ya. Said it was real urgent," the blond-haired swordsman informed him, tossing a piece of paper onto the desk. 

  


As he waited for his supervisor to open the letter, his envious eye was drawn to the far wall where a rather nice looking sword hung. He sighed, knowing if he even thought about touching it Saito would kill him. It was the blade he had carried during his days as a Captain of the Shinsengumi and he never used it now, its soul purpose being to serve as a reminder of who he truly was and what he stood for.

  
  


Suddenly Chou became aware of his boss glaring at him. With a sheepish grin, he gave a little wave and headed out the door. 

  


Once the former Juppon Gatana member left, Saito glanced back over the note, raising an eyebrow at the contents. The writer claimed to have information on who was behind the smuggling operation. The man requested that the cop meet him at an inn called the Onbin-yoru.

Taking a long drag from his cigarette, he considered wether the lead was worth pursuing or not. He really did not want to spend time gossiping with some ahou about things he already knew. Then again...

  


With a sigh, he rose from the chair and headed for the door. There just were not enough clues on this case to let a possible lead slip through his fingers.

  


In the front of the station he was greeted by Takahashi Daisuke, a young cop with more attitude than talent. Something about the man grated on Saito's nerves, but then most people managed to do that.

  


"Fujita-san, have you had any luck figuring out who was behind that shipment we confiscated?" He used the same cheerful tone most would take to comment on the weather. If there was one thing he hated, it was an ahou who did not take his job seriously.

  


"Takahashi don't you have work of your own to be worrying about? If not, I'm sure I can find something suitable to occupy your time and keep your nose out of my business."

  


The younger cop gave a light chuckle, too ignorant to recognize the thin ice he treaded .

"Gomen boss. I didn't know you'd be so..."

  


"Takahashi...," Saito warned, practically growling out the name.

  


"Daisuke-kun, perhaps you would be good enough to assist me with going over some note I've collected on the Sato case," another voice intruded.

  


"Anou, sure. I can do that," the now nervous young man agreed at once, thankful for the opportunity to escape the cold gaze boring into him.

  


Saito glanced over to the cop who had intervened. It was the new transfer from Osaka, a man about his own age named Ito Naruaki. He seemed to recall having seen his face somewhere before and supposed he must have met him while undercover in that city prior to the Shishio incident, but he met so many cops on different assignments it was hard to remember anything more specific about any of them. All he knew for certain was that the yarou had been attempting to usurp his place in the department.

  


Over the past month, Ito had on several occasions circumvented Saito's authority over the rest of the force either by fawning to their superiors or disrupting disciplinary action with little tactics like the one he pulled just then. As a result the atmosphere of the department had become noticeably inefficient and disrespectful of late. The ahou was deliberately trying to throw the force into enough of a chaos that those in charge would soon become concerned Saito was incapable of maintaining control of his men and remove him from command. And who better to replace him with than a man who had made sure his own abilities were adequately noticed?

  


Unfortunately for Ito, his plan possessed one very serious flaw. He assumed his rival was just another Meiji dog named Fujita. In truth the enemy he had created for himself was a Wolf of Mibu. _And he will feel my fangs soon enough,_ Saito decided. _I think that when I return from this meeting it will be about time for Ito and myself to have a little chat._

  


Saito's mouth twisted into a cruel smile of anticipation.

  
  


************************

  
  


The Onbin-yoru stood in a part of Kyoto Saito was not overly familiar with. It had been some time since an investigation brought him to this area of the city. The last time had been two years ago, when the debacle with Shishio and his Juppon Gutana forced him to ally himself with an old foe, the man known as the Battousai. The former hitokiri stayed at a dump of a restaurant known as the Aoiya while fighting against the bandage-wrapped psycho.

  


_ Come to think of it, that's where Shinomori and that Itachi Musume lived. What was that kid's name again?_ Saito wracked his mind, but could not come up with an answer. Except for the fact that she was obnoxious and prone to getting into trouble, she really had not made much of an impression on him. Frankly, he wondered at the time why Battousai tolerated such a useless thing. 

  


Dropping all consideration of his rival's poor choice in associates, he refocused on the present and located the inn. As soon as he stepped inside he felt an overpowering sense of deja vu. _Have I been here before?_ An uncomfortable edginess nagged at him as he found the room indicated in the note.

  


Announcing his arrival, he received a curt command to enter. The uneasy feeling increased. _This ahou isn't going to make certain I'm who he was waiting for even though he knows himself how far those he's betraying would go to keep him quiet? Is he really that confident no one realizes what he's doing, or is there some other reason he's not concerned? _ Saito could not sense any hostile ki within, but he knew from experience that the best swordsmen could hide their fighting spirit from enemies and most common thugs did not have one at all. Cautiously he slid open the shouji but hesitated just outside the room as his eyes adjusted to the dim light.

  


"Konnichiwa Saito-san. How very kind of you to join us. However I'm afraid you have only come all this way to die for your treason. Gomen nasai," a gruff voice drifted from the darkened interior.

  
  


Saito barley paid the mystery speaker any mind. Another sound had caught his attention: the distinct clicking of guns being readied to fire. He leapt to one side just as a volley of shots rained in his direction. With great effort he stifled a yell as two of the bullets found their mark.

  


Pushing the burning pain that immediately followed out of his mind, the cop forced himself to run down the long hallway. There was a small door at the end leading out into a small alley. Escaping back into the streets of Kyoto, he could hear some of his attackers as they discovered he had avoided their trap and began pursuit.

  


Their effort were in vain. The Wolf had spent most of his life avoiding capture. Barreling down the next side street, he discovered it let out into an alley that dead-ended at a high wooden fence on the left and ran into yet another back street on the right. He choose to jump over the fence, gritting his teeth again the protest his injured body made. Crouching down, he waited in silence as the men chasing him automatically assumed he had turned right and took off in the wrong direction.As soon as they were out of sight, he limped away as quietly and quickly as possible. Within minutes he had completely lost the incompetent thugs.

  
  


**************************

  
  


Back at the inn a tall, muscular man with only one good eye was berating his little band of followers. "Baka-yarous! I can't believe you let him get away! Shimatta! Now what do we do?" he asked, turning to arather lean, harsh-featured man wearing a western suit.

  


"What do you think, ahou?! Find and kill him! Ayuta found a blood trail in the hallway. He's wounded, so he can't possibly get very far. Just make sure you get to him before anyone else does. And make sure the innkeeper doesn't talk."

  


"You heard the boss! Everyone get out there and bring me that cop's head by the end of the hour or I'll have one of yours!"

  


Needing no more encouragement, the main group hit the streets to renew the hunt for Saito. Meanwhile the one-eyed man headed for the front desk to have a little "chat" with the cowering owners of the inn.

  


The one they called "boss" left under a small escort, fumingthat the traitor had eluded his grasp. After a bit, he began to calm down some and an evil smile slowly spread across his face. Perhaps this was better in a way. Now Saito would know what it was like to be dogged for his beliefs. In any case, he had waited fifteen years for his revenge. Another hour would not make any difference.

  
  


~TBC ~ 


	4. An Unexpected Guest

To Hazard a Guest

  


Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

  


Note - Thoughts are in italics.

  


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Chapter 4. An Unexpected Guest

  
  


Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.

-Plato

  
  


Saito wandered the back alleys for a while as he put a good distance between himself and the Onbin-yoru. Eventually his strength began to give out. Finding an out-of-the-way spot behind a restaurant where no one was liable to observe him, the cop stopped to catch his breath and access his injuries.

  


One of the bullets had grazed his right leg. It was bleeding a bit, but no real damage had been done. He tied a handkerchief he carried with him over the spot. The bullet wound in his side was a different story. It appeared to have managed to pass straight through without striking anything vital, but it was bleeding profusely and pained him a great deal. He felt incredibly weak from blood loss already and if he did not get aid soon he would die.

  


Trying to remember the area, he found that he did not know of any doctors or clinics where he could seek treatment. The police station was too far away for him to reach in his present condition. And soon he would not have the strength left to go anywhere at all.

  


"Shimatta, I'm in deep this time," he grumbled to himself. Attempting to move on again, he stumbled and slammed into the side of the building. He leaned against the wall, fighting off the darkness which threatened to swallow him. _Have to keep going. Have to find help. Have to..._

  


The back shouji of the resturant slid open. Saito glanced up and found his vision too blurry to see clearly. All he could make out was the vague image of a young woman with large blue eyes.

  


"Oi! What do you think you're doing out here? Move on, or I'll call the cops on you!"

  


Saito snorted slightly. "Onna, I am a cop."

  


"Oh, you are? Anou, then..." The woman's voice trailed off. "Saito?!" 

  


The mention of his real name caused him to jump a bit. _Do I actually know this onna?_ Squinting hard, he managed to force his eyes to focus enough so he could recognize the person before him. "Itachi?"

  
  


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Makimachi Misao put a kettle of water for tea on to boil. She was alone in the Aoiya for once. Okon was married now and living in Hokkaido. Omasu had gone to visit her sister, and Shiro's mother was ill. As for Jiya and Kuro, they were in Yokohama on business. From what she understood, none of them would be home for at least a couple of weeks.

  


The young ninja did not really mind the solitude. She wanted the time to herself to sort out a few things. Like wether or not she still loved Aoshi-sama or not.

  


Aoshi... She had not seen or heard from him in well over a year now. One morning he just up and left again, explaining he needed to "find himself". They never received so much as a brief letter to let them know he was still alive, and strangely Misao was not as heartbroken as she would have expected. _Perhaps it's possible to be kept waiting too long..._

  


The trail of her thoughts circled around and brought her back to the original point. Did she still have feelings for Aoshi? And if not, then what did she want? Jiya and the others wanted her to move on with her life and marry "someone who would make her happy". _But how should I know what kind of person could do that for me when the only one I've ever loved was Aoshi-sama? Does letting go of one dream mean you have to jump right into another?_ Of course, she had to decide if she really had given up on Aoshi before she could answer those questions.

  


Just then there was a heavy thud against the side of the building. Misao gave a little growl. Recently there had been a problem with drunks from the tavern down the street making a nuisance of themselves around the neighborhood. Deciding she was not going to put up with anymore nonsense, she marched over to the back shouji and threw it open.

  


Stepping out into the alley behind the Aoiya, she spotted a tall man in blue leaning against the building to her left. From the looks of things he was about to fall out. _Not on my doorstep you don't,_ the bristling young woman thought. She hollered a the man in the most commanding tone she could muster as he looked up at her with bleary eyes.

  


"Oi! What do you think you're doing out here? Move on, or I'll call the cops on you!"

  


The man gave a soft snort. "Onna, I am a cop."

  


Glancing at the man's clothes again she realized it was indeed a police uniform. Instead of being mollified, Misao found herself growing even angrier. _This Baka is on duty and he gets drunk?! Just wait till I inform his superiors!_

  


"Oh, you are? Anou, then..." She started to really give him a lecture, but broke off her tirade abruptly when she finally gazed into familiar amber eyes. "Saito?!" The name came out in a gasp.

  


The cop startled at the sound of his name, and he squinted as if he were having trouble seeing. "Itachi?" His voice was barely audible when he spoke.

  


Ignoring his use of the hated nickname, Misao frowned as she studied him. Something was definitely wrong with the Wolf and she knew him well enough to figure it was not drink. Then she noticed he was clutching his side, and that both the usually immaculate white glove and the uniform clothe beneath it were soaked with blood. Another saturated rag was tied about his right leg.

  


"Kuso! Here, let's get you inside." She rushed over to him and tried to slip an arm around his waist to help him, but the stubborn cop shoved her away. "Don't. It's not safe. There are men..."

  


"Oh, give it a rest why don't you?! Baka, you can't go anywhere in that condition, and it's not exactly like there's anyone else around. They don't know you're here, ne? Beside, you know I'm a member of the Oniwabunshuu. We can handle anything!"

  


Placing her arm more firmly around him, she gave a gentle tug to encourage him to cooperate. Too weak to argue, Saito gave a small grunt of annoyance and allowed her to assist him into the restaurant. He stumbled along, leaning so heavily on her that she was barely able to guide him to a small downstairs room the dwellers of the Aoiya kept for their private use. 

  


The effort completely exhausted the cop and he slumped down against one of the walls. Misao's concern grew as she listened to his labored breathing.

  


"I'm going to grab some medicine and bandages to treat those wounds. I'll be back in a minute."

  


Fortunately, she did not have to search for what she needed. Emergency medical supplies were kept in a storage closet next to the kitchen. _One of the benefits of being a ninja is that you learn to always be prepared for the worst,_ she thought thankfully. Running back to the kitchen, she grabbed the kettle of heated water, a bowl, and a tray to carry it all.

  


Returning to Saito, she nearly dropped everything at the sight of him. The cop was frightfully pale and still, and he did not open his eyes or make any sign to acknowledge her presence. She rushed over to his side and, setting aside the tray, reached out a trembling hand to touch him. A relieved sigh escaped her as she felt the gentle rise and fall of his chest. His heart beat with a steady rhythm under her palm. The Wolf was out cold, but alive. Quickly she removed his shirt and began tending the worst of his injuries.

  


~TBC ~


	5. If You Can't Kill the Man

To Hazard a Guest

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Notes - Thoughts are in italics. 

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Chapter 5. If You Can Not Kill the Man...

The assassin and the slanderer differ only in weapon they use; with the one it is the dagger, with the other the tongue. The latter is worse than the former, for the first only kills the body, while the other murders the reputation.

-Tyron Edwards

  


Darkness descended before Misao finished patching up the Wolf to the best of her abilities. The bleeding had stopped, and while he still looked a little pale, his breathing was more normal. Holding her hand against his forehead, she could detect no signs of a temperature and his skin did not feel clammy to the touch.

The hard part proved to be shifting Saito into a more comfortable position. _The baka cop would have to go pass out against the wall,_ she thought grumpily.

Somehow, she managed to pull him into a lying position without banging his head and giving him a concussion. Not that the prospect had not been tempting. Once he was laid out on the floor, she spent several more minutes gradually shifting him onto a spare futon. He wound up a bit crooked, but it was the best she could do alone.

Exhausted, she flopped down into a cross-legged sitting position beside him, one arm propped up on her knee and her chin resting on her fist. She wondered what sort of trouble the Wolf was involved in this time.

_He was trying to tell me something about some men when I found him, so it's safe to assume they're the ones who did this to him. They're probably out there searching for him right now. Anou, there's nothing I can do about it now. I'll just have to go to the police in the morning. Until then, I'd best be on guard._

Misao stood up after a brief rest and wearily made her way to the kitchen. After a small supper of leftovers, she wandered upstairs and dressed for bed. Though she wanted more than anything to just fall into her futon, she packed it up and carried it down to the chamber where Saito was sleeping.

The cop's condition still seemed fairly stable, but she knew how quickly that could change. There was absolutely no way she was going to allow the baka Wolf to die now. Not after all the trouble she had gone through.

Rolling her futon out on the other side of the room, the worn out ninja gratefully crawled into it and went to sleep.

  


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In another part of Kyoto there was no sleep for the chief resident of a western-style mansion. The master of the house furiously paced the length of his study, awaiting news of his hated enemy's capture or demise. At long last came the anticipated knock on his door.

"Enter," he barked out, moving to take his chair behind the massive oak desk. As he seated himself, the one-eyed man stepped into the room, carefully keeping his gaze on the floor.

"What have you to report, Otomo-san?" the lean man inquired.

"Gomen nasai boss. I'm afraid my men can find no trace of the traitor. It would seem Saito has somehow eluded us."

"Shimatta!" The entire plan was falling apart. No one was supposed to know where Saito had gone or why. He should have simply "disappeared". Their man within the police department could have handled the rest by writing the ruckus at the inn off as another robbery/murder case (unsolvable of course) and disposing of any lingering evidence linking any of them with either event.

Unfortunately, the yarou's escape made it almost impossible to completely cover their tracks. Once Saito reported the incident at the Onbin-yoru a full-fledged investigation would be launched to discover those responsible. _How long will it be before the Wolf of Mibu hunts us down?_ A shiver ran up his spine as he pondered the thought. He turned back to Otomo.

"Perhaps we should suspend operations here in Kyoto. It will not be safe for us once Saito..."

"There is no need to panic Miyazaki-san. The Wolf may have evaded our trap, but we can still kill his reputation and make it impossible for him to seek aid from his allies in the police department."

Both the lean man, Miyazaki, and Otomo glanced around at the heavy-set newcomer standing in the doorway.

"What do you mean Ito-san?"

Ito Naruaki smiled wickedly as he joined his fellow conspirators. "I suppose you've heard the news that Sakamoto Chikao is in town to speak at a conference?"

The one-eyed Otomo scoffed. "That meddling ahou? What about him? What does he have to do with..."

"Anou, we did want him out of the way, ne? Suppose he was to be assassinated? And suppose the murderer left something at the crime scene that would link the deed directly to our old friend Saito? Why, there might even be a witness to the Wolf's heinous act."

Miyazaki considered Ito's plan for a moment. "Are you sure you can arrange all this so that Saito gets the blame?"

"Absolutely. I've already procured the perfect murder weapon. The police will be in charge of security around the hotel where Sakamoto will be staying, so I won't need an alibi as to why I was on the premises. No one will even be paying me any attention. All I need is to find a witness who won't be suspected of any lie and who hates Saito as much as we do, and I think I already know just who to ask," the corrupt cop assured them.

Miyazaki allowed a cruel smile of his own at Ito's idea. Any plan was fine with him so long as it caused the Wolf of Mibu to suffer.

~TBC ~

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	6. Name that Weasel

To Hazard a Guest

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note - Thoughts are in italics.

******************************************************************************

Chapter 6. Name that Weasel

Those who expect thanks from rascals are often disappointed.

-Aesop

  


Misao roused herself in the early morning hour to once more check on her patient. Her brow furrowed with worry as she approached the cop. He was sleeping, but fitfully, mumbling something under his breath.

Kneeling beside him, she touched his forehead and found it still cool. _Must be just a bad dream then._

Those stringy bangs of his were in his eyes again she noted. Lightly, she brushed them aside. He was just the same as he had been the last time she laid eyes on him.

Saito moaned softly and whispered what sounded like a name. Straining her ears, Misao finally caught what he was saying.

"Tokio..."

Tokio? Who was... The ninja's eyes went wide as she remembered a vital piece of information. Someone had actually married this baka Wolf! _How could I have forgotten?! His poor wife! Oh, she must be worried sick by now! I'll have to make sure to send her a message about what's happened. Provided Saito will ever wake up long enough to tell me where to send it, _a voice inside her head added in annoyance as the cop began to snore.

**********************

  


Sakamoto Chikao was alone in his hotel room, standing before a full length mirror as he tried to decide which cravat to wear. He was a tall, dark-haired man with a thin mustache and soft brown eyes. His enemies snidely implied that his heart was soft as well and his policies would be the ruin of Japan.

Someone knocked lightly on the door, causing the politician to scowl. He had not been expecting company and who would want to call on another at such an early hour anyway? Shaking his head at the rudeness of some people, he went to answer it on the off chance some emergency demanded his attention.

"Ohayo gozaimasu. Can I help you?" he asked as he swung the door wide. His eyes registered shock on seeing the two men waiting in the hallway. _Surely the police would not be disturbing me unless something drastic has happened!_ "Is something wrong, officers?" 

One of the two men smiled in a way that made Sakamoto take an involuntary step backwards. "Not anymore," he replied as he and his companion forcibly entered the room and closed the door behind them.

****************************

It was very late in the morning before Saito opened his eyes. He made an attempt to sit up and fell back with a pained gasp.

"Oi! Don't try to push yourself too hard. You'll start your wounds to bleeding again. Here, I'll help you sit up," a cheery voice called out.

Turning his head to the side, he saw the Itachi coming towards him with a tray of food. Setting it aside, she moved to put an arm around his shoulders. For reasons he could not identify, the close personal contact made him strangely uneasy. He shrugged off the young woman's help.

"I'm fine Itachi. I can sit up on my own. I just have to take it a little slower."

The ninja glared at him. "Would you stop calling me that already! And stop trying to play the big tough cop with me while you're at it. You know, it doesn't hurt to let people help you every now and then. Che!"

Saito moved to sit up again. "Itachi, I don't need.... Itai!" He fell back on the futon, grimacing against the sudden ache.

"Oh no! You don't need my help at all! You have it all under control," the young woman mocked him with barely suppressed laughter.

"Hn. Just shut up and give me a hand already," the cop growled out.

Taking it by degrees, they finally got the Wolf upright and into as comfortable a position as possible. Then the genki ninja set the tray triumphantly in front of him.

"I've made you some breakfast. It's not much because I wasn't sure if you'd be up to a very big meal, but I promise it's good and will have you back on your feet in no time!"

Saito looked down at the appetizing looking meal, it aroma assailing his senses. Truthfully he was rather hungry, but he could not help feeling a bit irked by his display of weakness a moment before. He saw this as the perfect opportunity to get back some of his own. Besides, aggravating the Itachi had always been amusing.

Doing his best to hide the mischievous glint in his gaze, the cop pretended to stare at the food with suspicion. Finally he looked back at the young woman and narrowed his eyes as if he were interrogating her.

"You made this?"

"Nani?" the ninja returned in a low, dangerous voice that dared him to say anything negative.

"Are you sure this is edible?" He quirked an eyebrow for extra emphasis.

For a long, silent time the woman stared at him icily. Suddenly, she gave a slight "hmph" as she turned her face away from him, arms folded across her chest and her nose in the air. "If you don't want to eat it, then fine. I'm not your mother, so I'm not going to force you to," she replied in a haughty tone.

Saito found himself taken slightly aback by this response. Obviously the Itachi had changed a great deal since he last saw her. Shrugging it off, he gave up his game and dug into the meal with relish.

"So what exactly happened to you anyways?" the woman asked after a short time.

The cop considered how much he was willing to divulge. He decided there was nothing to tell that was important enough to be kept a secret. "Recently there have been reports of large shipments of illegal weapons being smuggled into Kyoto. I've been trying to crack the case, but so far I haven't been very lucky. Then... I suppose it was yesterday?" She nodded an affirmative and he continued with his story. "As I was saying, yesterday someone sent a note claiming to have inside information for me. The writer asked me to come to an inn close to here known as the Onbin-yoru. However, when I got there..."

"When you got there you found a bunch of guys waiting to ambush you," the ninja finished the statement for him. "So did you get a good look at any of them?"

"Iie. It was far too dark to see anyone clearly. The only reason I got away with my life was because I heard the guns being cocked right before they fired. An amateurish mistake and one that will cost them in the end."

"Anou, I guess the best thing I can do to help now is to take a message to the police station for you," the woman said as she climbed to her feet.

The cop nodded his agreement. "You should tell Chou what's happened. He is about the only one I can trust not to screw things up."

The ninja shifted nervously on both feet as if she wanted to say something more. Suppressing a groan, Saito waited for her to announce whatever it was she had on her mind.

"What about your wife? Should I take a message to her or..."

All at once Saito grew very tense. He shook his head sharply. "Iie. That will not be necessary."

"But surely..."

"Iie." This time the tone was harsh and final.

"Alright. I'll be back in a while," the young woman sighed as she turned to go.

"By the way, there's something I need to ask you," Saito called after her, most of his attention on the meal he was devouring.

"Hai?"

"What was your name again? I seem to have forgotten it."

No verbal reply came, but something changed in the atmosphere of the room. Saito felt a rise in the woman's ki, causing him to glance up at her questioningly.

"Itachi?"

Any passer-by on the street outside the Aoiya could have clearly heard the ninja's response when it came. "What do you mean you've forgotten my name?! How could you not remember my name you baka Wolf?! Kecho Giri!"

THWACK!

"Itai!"

~TBC ~


	7. Guilty Until Proven Innocent

To Hazard a Guest

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note - Thoughts are in italics.

******************************************************************************

Chapter 7. Guilty Until Proven Innocent

A man cannot be too careful in the choice of his enemies.

-Oscar Wilde

  


After making dead certain the cop would forever remember the name Makimachi Misao, she headed off to the police department. It was quite a long walk away and, to make matters worse, the streets seemed to be unusually crowded with very agitated people. It took over an hour to reach the street the station house was on. The moment she arrived in the vicinity she knew something was terribly wrong.

A sizeable crowd had gathered around the building. Important looking men in western suits were streaming in and out of the front doors. The entire area was practically crawling with cops, as if the entire force had turned out. The very air seemed to vibrate with energy.

Suddenly a familiar voice called out to her from the crowd.

"Itachi Musume, what are you doing down here?"

Misao looked back over her shoulder and spotted the broom-headed cop she had come to find approaching from behind. "Chou! What's going on around here? What's all this fuss about?"

"You mean you haven't heard the news yet?! Seems a real popular politician by the name of Sakamoto was murdered in his hotel room sometime early this morning right under police watch. And you'll never guess who they're saying is the one who done it."

"Who?"

"My boss, Fujita Goro. Course you probably know him better as Saito Hajime."

The ninja found herself thoroughly stunned. "They're blaming this on Saito?!" _Impossible! They can't possibly believe Saito would have anything to do with something like this. Besides, he was at the Aoiya with me the whole time! Someone is definitely framing him. Those people who tried to kill him yesterday... They must be the ones behind all this!_

"Yeah, anou, they got themselves a witness. Some smart-mouthed young cop by the name of Takahashi. Claims he walked into the room cause he heard what sounded like a scuffle and was almost knocked to the ground by the boss as he came running out. And then there's the murder weapon they found at the scene. Everyone here at the station recognized it as the sword that Saito always kept hanging on the wall in his office." Chou stroked his chin with his thumb thoughtfully. "If you ask me though, there's something funny about this whole business."

"How do you mean?"

"Anou, like I said, everyone knows that sword cause it was always in Saito's office. He never carried it around or used it at all. What no one else knows is that it was a memento from his days as a Captain in the Shinsengumi. I just don't see him leaving it behind like that even if he did decide to use it, regardless of circumstances. Takahashi is the only person that claims to have seen the boss inside the hotel, and even if he did get himself caught in the act, I just can't see it being by someone like that ahou. The whole thing just feels suspicious somehow."

Misao was tempted to tell the swordsman exactly where Saito had actually been, but thought better of it. _I really shouldn't do anything until I've gone back to the Aoiya and told him what's going on. But first I should try to find out if Chou knows anything about the incident at the Onbin-yoru. Surely someone took note of all those guns firing and saw who was responsible._

"So what brought you down here anyways?" the broom-head repeated his earlier question.

"Oh yeah! I forgot. I heard a rumor that something bad happened at an inn close to the Aoiya. The Onbin-yoru. Know anything about it?"

Chou sniffed. "The owner apparently got his throat cut during a robbery attempt. That's about all anyone knows. The suspects got away clean."

"Really? That's funny. The story I heard said someone was shooting at people."

"Aw, don't go listening to every tale you hear Itachi Musume. People just like to talk is all. Nothing in the official report said anything about guns."

_The "official report" is wrong. Which either means that whoever investigated the case did a real lousy job, or they're trying to cover it up._ "Anou, who was in charge of that case? I mean, if I see someone strange hanging about the Aoiya, who should I tell? It could turn out to be the same person, ne?" she added quickly when Chou gave her a funny look.

The cop shrugged. "Ito Naruaki I guess. He's the one handling the investigation anyways. In fact, that's him right over there," he added, nodding toward a heavy-set man with short brown hair who had just come out of the front doors of the station.

Misao made sure to memorize the man's face in case she needed to recognize him later. _If he is covering up evidence, then he definitely knows who was behind both the ambush on Saito and Sakamoto's assassination. _

Flashing the broom-head a bright smile, she excused herself. "With all this commotion going on you're probably real busy right now and I don't want to get you into any trouble or anything. I'd best be getting back to the Aoiya anyways. Arigatou for the information, Chou! Ja ne!" 

"Yeah, sure. See you around," he replied with a slight wave before disappearing back into the crowd.

Fighting her way out of the mass of people, Misao ran back to the Aoiya as fast as she could to deliver the bad news to Saito.

~TBC ~


	8. Teaching a Wolf Obedience

To Hazard a Guest

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note - Thoughts are in italics.

******************************************************************************

Chapter 8. Teaching a Wolf Obedience

However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.

-Sir Winston Churchill

Saito shifted himself around so he could lean against the wall. There were two states in the world that he hated above all others - waiting and having nothing to do. So being forced by circumstances to do both at once was excruciating torture. Not even a pile of horrid paperwork was available to relieve the tediousness of his situation. Minutes crawled by as if they were hours until he thought he would go mad.

An eerie silence reigned throughout the restaurant. No sounds came from the kitchen or the main dining area, indicating the place was still closed even though it was fast approaching noon. Stranger still, he could not detect any trace of the other occupants of the Aoiya. No one walked across the floors of the rooms above his head or moved along the hallway outside. The Wolf began to wonder if anyone else was in residence.

_Are they off on some sort of mission or did Itachi finally annoy everyone else away? Where is Shinomori? Surely if he were around he would have already been here to ask me a few questions by now?_ The mystery began to consume him and he resolved to get a few answers out of the ninja when she returned.

After what felt like a few ages had passed he heard someone enter the building. The sound of light, running footsteps told him it had to be the Itachi. He frowned a bit as he realized she was alone. _Why didn't Chou or one of the other officers come back with her?_ He shrugged it off. _They probably stopped by the inn to ask a few questions,_ he decided.

The shouji flew open and the young woman stepped into the room, trying to catch her breath. "Oi! Saito...."

The cop cut her off. "What sort of a restaurant are you people running here anyways? There's no staff. Just where is everyone? They haven't run off and left you all alone have they _Misao_?" he asked with a smirk.

She gritted her teeth at the way he stressed her name. Somehow he managed to make it sound like an insult. However, she was not going to let the baka Wolf get to her. "We closed the Aoiya temporarily. Jiya and Kuro had some business in Yokohama and Shiro's family needed him. There just wasn't enough staff to run it right now, but everyone should be back in a couple of weeks. I need to tell you..."

"And they just left you here on your own?" the cop interrupted again.

"I'm not a child you know. And besides that I happen to be a ninja. Unless someone like Tenken decides to come knocking on my door, I should be able to handle things by myself. Now if you're done questioning me, I..."

"Iie. Actually, I'm not finished yet. You didn't mention Shinomori. Where is he?"

"I don't know and it's not important right now. You...."

"You mean he left without telling anyone where he was going? Why? And what do you mean by 'not important'? I was under the impression that you had some sort of infatuation with the Icicle."

"Shimatta you're a nosy one! All I know is that he said he didn't know himself anymore or what exactly he wanted. He figured he needed some time alone to figure things out, so he left. I have no idea where he is now. And, hai, I did love him, but that's none of your...." Misao broke off her tirade._ I said 'did love him'. Like it was all in the past. So is it? Do I really not have feelings for Aoshi-sama anymore?_

Saito was staring at her with one eyebrow quirked. Interesting as it was to see the Itachi so flustered, now that his curiosity about the Aoiya's other occupants had been satiated he wanted to get back to business. " Never mind. Did you give Chou the message? Why didn't he come back with you? Ahou, he could have at least sent another officer over."

"Actually, I didn't tell him you were here. I thought it best not to say anything until I told you what's been going on."

His piercing amber gaze held hers steadily. "What are you talking about Itachi?"

"The police are after you. They think you killed some politician named Sakamoto."

"Nani?! Where the hell did those ahous get that idea?! Why didn't you say anything sooner?!"

Misao felt her right eye begin to twitch. "Baka! I've been trying to tell you ever since I walked in the door! You kept interrupting me!"

The cop winced slightly at the shrill tone her voice had taken. "Alright! Calm down. Just answer my other question. Why do they think it was me? When did this happen anyways?"

"Anou, from what I was able to get out of Chou, the guy was murdered early this morning."

"Hn. Yet we both know I was here all night."

"The problem is they have a witness who claims to have seen you running out of his hotel room. Some cop by the name of Takahashi."

"Takahashi?" The Wolf's eyes narrowed dangerously. "That baka-yarou had best hope I don't get my hands on him. Is that all?"

"Iie. Chou also said that the killer left the murder weapon at the scene. Apparently it was some sword you kept in your office, so everyone knew who it belonged to."

"Kuso! And those ahous think I would be stupid enough to leave something behind that would directly connect me with a murder? When I get out of this mess, I'm going to order some serious retraining for every officer in that station."

"I think Chou suspects a set-up. He said as much to me. I was able to learn something else that may be important. I told broom-head that I'd heard a rumor about some trouble at the Onbin-yoru. According to him the report stated that the owner's throat was cut and the place had been robbed, but there wasn't a single word about any guns being fired there. I found it kind of hard to believe that no one would have heard such a ruckus, so I asked him who was in charge. It was someone named Ito Naruaki. Does that mean anything to you?"

The cop rubbed his thumb along his jaw. He wanted a cigarette, but he did not have any on him. "Quite a bit, actually. I've known for some time that he was after my job. I just didn't think he'd go so far to get it. And if he failed to turn up something like that it was deliberate. Good instincts, Itachi. I wish some of my officers were half as bright. My guess would be he and Takahashi were both involved with Sakamoto's murder, but Ito is the one who planned it out. That makes him the one to follow if I want to know who's behind the ambush at the inn."

A short silence ensued as the Wolf considered his next move. As she waited, Misao began to turn another concern over in her mind. Finally she decided to speak up.

"Saito, what about your wife? She must be worried sick by now. If you want, I could...."

The cop's eyes turned on her with a cold glare. "Leave it alone," he growled.

The harshness of his tone was startling, even coming from him. Misao turned her face away so he would not see the hurt it caused. "Shimatta, I was only trying to help," she muttered.

Neither spoke again for several minutes. Eventually the cop heaved a sigh and bowed his head. "Anou, I had better get started," he said, making a move to get up.

"Oi! What do you think you're doing?! You can't go anywhere in that condition! Besides, you're only half-dressed!" Misao exclaimed as she rushed over to him and pushed on his shoulders to make him stay seated.

"So give me a shirt. I can't clear my name if I'm lying around here all day. I need to find out who Ito is working for."

"Leave the information gathering to me. I got a look at the man this morning, so I know who he is. I'll follow him and see where he goes."

"Iie! Absolutely not! Those men are killers, Misao. I won't be responsible for some baka onna getting herself hurt or worse. Stay out of this. I'll handle it," Saito said as he made another, more determined effort to stand, grimacing with pain as he did.

The ninja began to grow a little desperate. Not that she was overly fond of the cop or anything, but she just could not stand by and watch him go into danger knowing how badly he was injured. He needed help this time wether he liked it or not. Suddenly, she thought of the perfect plan to make the Wolf obey. 

"I suppose if you're that determined to go then I really can't stop you. But at least you could have a bite to eat before you leave. Being on the run and all, there's no telling when you'll get another meal. With your wound trying to heal you'll need to keep up your strength." 

"Hn. Fine," Saito grunted, lowering himself back to the floor.

Misao flashed him a bright smile. "Be back in a moment!"

On her way to the kitchen, she stopped by the storage closet and grabbed a package of the sleep medicine Jiya kept for his aches and pains. _This should keep that baka Wolf from hurting himself,_ Misao thought with a wicked grin as she hurried on to the kitchen to make lunch.

~TBC ~

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	9. Curious Weasel, Drowsy Wolf

To Hazard a Guest

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note - Thoughts are in italics.

******************************************************************************

Chapter 9. Curious Weasel, Drowsy Wolf.

Each of us bears his own Hell.

-Virgil

  


Saito waited impatiently for the ninja to return. He was eager to begin the hunt, even though his wounded leg and side protested against the notion.

A very small part of him felt reluctant to leave the Aoiya. Analyzing the emotion proved useless. He could only conclude that the logical part of his mind was warning him about the severity of his injuries.

Itachi was right about that at least. It would be hard for him to accomplish his mission in the state he was in. While it certainly was not an option, it would have been nice to be able to take her offer to sit back and allow himself to recover as she did the footwork. _Not to mention it's kind of nice to have someone fussing over you again, ne?_ a wicked little voice chimed in. He pointedly ignored it, not wishing to contemplate its meaning.

Eventually Misao came back with a tray bearing two bowls of soba and some green tea. The sight of the former improved his mood considerably.

"Hn. You just might make someone a decent wife yet Itachi," he commented as he eagerly dug into his meal. He quickly discovered the soba was some of the best he had ever tasted. The tea was also very good, with a slightly unique flavor. _Wonder what she adds to it,_ he thought absently.

As for Misao, she silently fumed at the insult-disguised-as-a-compliment. Or was it a compliment-disguised-as-an-insult? With Saito you could never tell. _Anyways he called me Itachi again. That's grounds for murder,_ she thought. She refrained from saying anything however. The Wolf needed to finish his meal for her plan to work.

They ate in silence, the young ninja stealing continuous glances at the cop. She told herself she had to make sure he took enough of the medicine to knock him out completely. In truth she was looking at anything but the tea cup.

The amber wolf-eyes fascinated her. Soul-piercing was the only way to describe them. Then she was studying his dark hair, neatly slicked back except for the four long locks that insisted on flopping down into his face. _It would be cute if he weren't such a grouch,_ she decided. The scrutiny took in the thin lips that always seemed to be curved into a strangely alluring smirk. The hard, masculine angles of his face did not detract from his appearance as they might have with some. Instead they blended with the rest of his features to create an admittedly predatory-looking but strikingly handsome individual.

Her eyes swept downwards to take in his bare chest and arms. He possessed a lean body with muscles chiseled by years of strenuous activity. Various scars attested to the many battles he had survived. Far from being repulsive, they added an aura of danger and intrigue to his persona, confirming as they did that this was a true warrior.

_Anou, he may be a yarou, but he's a good-looking yarou. Maybe Tokio-san has better taste than I gave her credit for,_ Misao thought. Suddenly her eyes went wide. _Did I really just think that Saito is handsome?!_

In the meantime, her curious inspection had not gone unnoticed. The Wolf felt himself growing annoyed. At least he thought he was annoyed. Finally he decided to confront her about it.

"Are you staring for any reason in particular Itachi, or do you just enjoy the view?" he asked in his sardonic voice, one eyebrow quirked inquisitively.

"Nani? Oh!" Misao gave a nervous little chuckle. "Anou... I was just wondering if your bandages need changing?" she lied quickly.

For some reason the cop felt a sting of disappointment at this. _What did you really expect she was going to say, ahou? Since when do you care what the Itachi thinks of you anyways?_ he chided himself. "Iie. They're fine," he answered out loud.

Misao glanced at Saito's tea cup and saw the liquid was almost gone. In a short time he would want to leave. She had to make sure he stayed put until the medicine had a chance to work, so she tried to engage him in a conversation.

"So Saito, what are you still doing in Kyoto? I thought you were transferring to Hokkaido?" the young woman asked.

"Hn. I did go for a while. If I'd had my own way, I would have moved there permanently. Tokio didn't want to go though. She said it was too cold and...." He suddenly broke off in mid-sentence and glared off into the distance with a clenched jaw.

Misao thought she saw anger and pain in his expression before he regained his composure. "Saito?" she questioned.

The cop ignored her and went back to eating his soba.

_Why is he acting this way? I thought before he just didn't want anyone to know too much about his personal life, but now... Did Tokio leave him? Is that why he didn't care if she knew wether he was alive or not? Could she have gone off with another man? That would certainly explain why he doesn't want to talk about it. Why he got so angry when I pressured him before. I thought he was mad at me. Maybe he's angry with her...._

Unexpectedly the ninja felt her own temper flare at the unknown woman who had obviously broken the Wolf's heart. _How dare she do that to him?! Saito might not be the easiest person to get along with sometimes, but he didn't deserve that! She made a vow to stand by him no matter what! How can you just break a promise when it's that important?!_

Feeling tears start in her eyes, the young woman forced herself to check her emotions. The last thing she wanted to do was break down crying in front of the cop over the state of his marriage. That would really tick him off. _And anyways it's not like it's any of your business. Remember you still have to stall him._

"Did you hear that Himura has a son now?"

"Iie. I hardly make it my business these days to know what that ahou and his friends are doing. I'm assuming that Kamiya onna is the mother? So what did they name the brat?" he asked in a bored tone, stifling a yawn.

"He's not a brat! Hai, Kaoru is his mother and his name is Kenji. He looks like a miniature version of his father," Misao said with a smile.

"How unfortunate for him."

"Why you?! How can you be so mean all the time?!"

"What did you expect? You bring up the subject of the worst enemy I ever had and you think I'm going to compliment him?" the cop chuckled at her.

"You really still feel that way after all this time? Why?"

The Wolf shrugged. "Hatred is a hard thing to let go of sometimes."

"Would it hurt to try?"

Saito did not appear to have heard her. He stifled another yawn as he set aside his empty dishes. He was beginning to look rather drowsy. She watched him blink his eyes a few times in an effort to keep them open. _Good. It's starting to take effect._

"So who was this Okita person the older people are always talking about? Wasn't he with the Shinsengumi too?"

The cop went to smile but it turned into another yawn. "Hai. Okita was the First Captain and a great swordsman. He sort of latched on to me when I was promoted to Third Captain, probably because most of the other men at the top were older than us. I thought he was annoying at first, but after we fought in a few battles together I understood why everyone respected him so much. We became good friends afterwards. People used to think it was funny because we were exact opposites."

He was mumbling his words now. Misao had to strain to understand them. His eyes slid closed as he leaned back against the wall behind him. 

For several minutes she waited quietly. He made no further movements. Gingerly she touched his shoulder. "Saito?" No answer except his soft, gentle breathing. He was sound asleep, just as she had intended.

"Gomen Saito. I couldn't let you do something I knew you weren't up to. I'll go find out who Ito is working for. I promise to be careful and I'll be back in a while. Ja ne," she whispered to the sleeping cop.

Grabbing one of the blankets from his futon, she covered him up. Then she gathered up the dishes and carried them to the kitchen. Leaving them on the counter, she hurried to the back shouji and slipped out into the alley.

~TBC ~

  
  
  
  



	10. The Face of the Enemy

To Hazard a Guest

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note- Thoughts are in italics.

******************************************************************************

Chapter 10. The Face of the Enemy

Hatred is the madness of the heart.

-Lord George Gordon Byron

Misao took up watch in an alley not far from the front doors of the police station. After two hours of patient waiting, Ito finally emerged from the building. Staying far enough away so as not to arouse his suspicion, yet close enough to observe his movements, she began to trail him.

At the outset she had hoped he would go straight to his "boss". It soon became evident that he had other ideas in mind. At one point he stopped and spoke to another cop for at least half an hour. Then he ducked into a small shop for another twenty minutes or so. Later he stopped at a restaurant where he remained for over an hour. The ninja was beginning to seriously doubt the man had any intention of meeting with Saito's persecutors when at long last he turned down the street of an upscale neighborhood filled with Western-style mansions.

Keeping herself inconspicuous, Misao observed him approach one of the more impressive structures and knock on the door. He was quickly admitted inside. Carefully, she memorized the address and then glanced around to make sure no one was watching her. Satisfied, she darted into the bushes that grew along the property line.

It was tough work creeping through the underbrush without making too much noise. After a short distance it began to thin out, leaving her with less cover and slowing her progress even more. She paused, trying to find a good point to approach the house. A short distance away there was a row of gardenia bushes nestled against the side of the building. One of the windows behind them had been left open. _Perfect,_ the ninja thought.

Unfortunately, there was a lot of open ground between the sweet smelling shrubs and her current shelter. Easing forward, she was nearly surprised by two loutish thugs patrolling the property. Misao dove behind a large hydrangea bush, barely avoiding detection. She held her breath and lay as still as she could when the brutes stopped to chat dangerously close to her hiding place.

"Oi! Ayuta-niisan, how about grabbing some sake when our guard shift is done? I could really do with a drink and some entertainment," the smaller of the men snickered.

The one called Ayuta snorted. "I'm afraid there won't be time for you to indulge in your sick pleasures, Jouta. You obviously haven't heard yet that no one is allowed any off time until that cop is found and his head brought back to that ahou the boss is working for. He's saying he'll have our hides if we don't hurry up and get this job over with."

"Shimatta! We don't even know where to look! What's with that yarou anyways? I mean, there's no way the guy's gonna get out of the mess he's in now. What does it matter if we kill him or not? Che, you'd think having him out of the way would be enough!" Jouta whined as they began walking toward the front of the mansion and disappeared from sight.

The moment they were gone Misao sprinted over to the gardenias. Their heady scent made her feel light-headed as she crouched behind them, trying to catch her breath.

The window was now only a little ways off to her right. Once she had rested she edged toward it carefully. The sound of several male voices drifted out to warn her the room was occupied. Discreetly as possible she peeked over the sill.

There were three men conferring in a spacious study, one of which was Ito. The cop was standing in the center of the room. Another man leaned against the far wall. He was a huge figure with a patch covering his right eye. At the desk sat a rather lean man in a western suit. His face was all hard angles like Saito's, but it lacked the strength and masculine appeal the Wolf's possessed. It sounded like their conversation was rather heated.

"...no more excuses! Even though he survived the ambush he was wounded. He should have been easy prey but those incompetent fools you insist on retaining let him escape! He shouldn't have been able to get that far! Are you sure you've checked everywhere?" the lean man demanded.

"Aa. He's not hiding at the local clinic or any of the inns. I'm telling you he either wasn't hurt that bad or he had help from someone," the one-eyed man replied.

"And I've already told you there was too much blood in the hallway. Saito was seriously injured and is hiding someplace close by. The only question is where?" Ito snapped back.

"Close by unless he got help," the one-eyed man insisted. "Maybe he knows someone in the area?"

"Iie. Saito has no friends and few acquaintances. Certainly he has none in that part of Kyoto. Anyway, if that were the case he would have sent a message to the station immediately. Since the police never received any such word it is safe to assume he's entirely on his own," the corrupt cop reasoned.

Misao had to suppress a giggle. _Yeah, keep thinking that ahou. It just makes my job that much easier._

"What if you're wrong Ito-san? Suppose someone comes forward and provides an alibi for him? What will you do then?" the one-eye challenged.

"Oh, I don't foresee any such thing happening. After all, why wait so long? Even if Saito did have someone speak for him now it would be that person's word against the word of an upstanding officer of the law. Who do you think the courts will believe? Not to mention that we found Saito's own sword at the scene of the crime. And don't forget that anyone foolish enough to come forward now would be practically admitting they've been harboring a fugitive from the Meiji government. A most serious offense, wouldn't you agree Miyazaki-san?"

"Hai," the lean man confirmed. "The government needs to bring a swift resolution to this situation. They have to prove to both the people and the West that they are in complete control of Japan. Someone must be held accountable and quickly. It doesn't matter to those in charge who the scapegoat is. Of course as pleasurable as it would be to see Saito's face when he's executed by the very country he has done everything in his power to protect, I prefer not to leave anything to chance. I want you to find and kill him before the police get their hands on him."

"How? If he's bad hurt and knows the police are after him, he's not about to come out of whatever hole he's crawled into," the one-eyed man complained.

An unpleasant smile spread across Ito's face. "Then we'll just have to find a way to flush him out, ne?"

"Feh. If you can," the one-eye muttered. Pushing away from the wall he began walking toward the window.

Misao jerked back and looked wildly around for a place to hide. Spotting a gap in the shrubbery, she squirmed through to the other side. The ninja froze as the one-eyed man stuck his head out the window and inspected the grounds.

"What is it?" Miyazaki called out.

"Nothing. Thought I heard something outside, but it must have been some animal in the bushes," the one-eyed man replied, pulling his head back in.

Waiting a few minutes to make sure the man was no longer watching, Misao began to crawl away. Once she was far enough from the window she raced for the same patch of undergrowth that had concealed her approach. Soon she was completely out of view of the mansion.

Making her way out onto the street, she began the long trek back to the Aoiya. Going over the information she had gathered, she realized that disappointingly little of it was new. However, she had been able to glean a few useful facts.

She knew now that Ito was not merely a paid lackey, but a key member of the conspiracy. She also had the name and address of the man in charge. While she had not been able to overhear the identity of the third man, she did have a good description of him. Being a rough sort of fellow, he had to be in charge of the smuggling operation.

What she did not learn was exactly why they wanted the Wolf out of the way so badly. Ito and the one-eyed man had reasons that were fairly easy to guess at, but Miyazaki's angle was a mystery. His hatred sounded more personal. Hopefully the cop would have some idea what the whole thing was about once he knew who his enemies were.

Telling Saito was something she dreaded. The cop was definitely not going to be too happy with her when the sleep medication wore off. _Will he strangle me the moment I walk in the door, or will he wait to find out what I know before he murders me? Only one way to find out,_ she thought grimly.

~TBC ~

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	11. Awakenings

To Hazard a Guest

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

A special thanks to BarbaraSheridan for all her advise on this chapter! Barb, the next two are for you!

Note - Thoughts are in italics.

******************************************************************************

Chapter 11. Awakenings

A single spark can set a prairie on fire.

-Chinese Proverb

Saito's eyes fluttered open and he groaned slightly as he came fully awake. Not only were his wounds throbbing, but now his neck ached from sleeping in such an awkward position. Glancing around he noticed the lengthening shadows in the room and deduced that much of the day had worn on while he slept. Throwing the blanket aside, he stretched his sore muscles.

_Baka Itachi. Why didn't she wake me? Come to think of it, why did I even fall asleep in the first place? I don't recall being tired before...._

Realization struck him all at once. He had not been tired until she insisted on fixing him one last meal. He had thought the tea tasted different somehow. _I guess I know what her secret ingredient is now,_ he thought caustically.

He could feel the Wolf inside snarling with rage at the little ninja who thought she could thwart his will. Yet even as he seethed in anger and frustration, he could hear that wicked voice in the back of his mind laughing at how cleverly she had tricked him. _Bet you won't be underestimating the Itachi again,_ it taunted. _The legendary Wolf of Mibu, caught by an eighteen year old girl!_ With a vicious growl, he shoved the voice into the deepest reaches of his subconscious.

_Itachi has not 'caught' anything but trouble. Does that baka onna really think she can make an ahou of me? Perhaps it's time she learns what happens to rodents who cross paths with a Wolf! _he decided. Secretly his bruised pride agreed whole-heartedly before turning its attention to strangling that annoying inner-voice.

"Itachi!" he hollered in the same voice he used to command his officers. There was no response. _Don't toy with me onna!_

"Itachi, come here!" he called out in a more forceful tone. Still no response. He felt the anxious tingle in his gut that always began whenever something was not right.

"Misao?" He attempted to locate her ki and detected nothing.

_Shimatta! She wouldn't have? Not after I told her to stay out of this?! _The Wolf shook with silent wrath at the ninja's defiance. 

Visions of her broken body lying in a ditch or being tossed down a well assaulted him. Something twisted within him, but having no time to analyze the feeling he assumed it was his rising fury. No one had ever blatantly disregarded his orders before and to have the Itachi do so now of all times irked him to no end.

Was it not enough for the little ahou that he was wounded and had been framed for a murder? That both an unknown enemy and his own police force were currently searching for him? Iie! She had to go running off and play at being a spy. Apparently she had to find out the hard way that it was one thing to vex a Wolf she knew, but quite another to match wits with a Snake who felt no hesitation in striking.

With a monumental effort the cop rose shakily to his feet, gritting his teeth as the dull throb of his injuries became a piercing ache. Despite all temptation to the contrary he could not allow the Itachi to suffer the consequences of her actions. As a cop it was after all his duty to protect civilians from thugs such as Ito. It did not matter that the said "civilian" was a baka and a nuisance. Besides, he did not need Shinomori showing up and giving him hell over this once the dust had settled.

_Hai, and it would be such a shame if anything were to happen to such a cute, spirited little thing, ne? _the voice chimed in gleefully, having escaped the clutches of his ego. He irritably swatted it away.

Glancing around the room, he spotted his sword propped up against the far wall. His shirt however was no where to be seen and the trousers he wore had a huge rip in the leg from when Misao treated his leg injury. Not wanting to draw undo attention to himself, he decided that he would have to find some new clothes before he could go anywhere. _Maybe Shinomori left something behind that I can wear._ Snatching up his katana, he limped from the room and began a search of the Aoiya.

Climbing the stairs proved to be pure agony, but he refused to be deterred. Eventually he discovered the former Okashira's room and found a black shirt and pair of pants that fit him reasonably well. He also found a clothe to wrap around his sword. Carrying it in plain sight would be certain to draw the notice of even the most dull-witted cop.

Making his way to the kitchen, he found his shoes by the back shouji and slipped them on before stepping out into the alley. He paused as he determined his next move. The only place the ninja could have picked up Ito's trail would be the police station. There was not much hope of finding her still in the area after all this time and going there himself meant risking apprehension, but he saw no other alternative. Kyoto was far to big a city for him to search alone. If he could locate Takahashi then perhaps he could beat the information he required out of the ahou. Assuming Ito had told him anything of value.

Once he had moved out onto the main road, he turned his steps in the direction of the police department. The Wolf kept his head bowed and eyes to the ground, trying to remain inconspicuous. It seemed to work for not one person acted as if they noticed him at all.

His luck almost faltered at the end of the street. Just barely he caught a glimpse of three cops rounding a corner up ahead before they could spot him. Ducking down a small side street, he hid in the recess of a doorway. A sneer appeared on his face as his officers strolled by without a clue that he was around. _When this is over I am definitely going to have every one of them retrained, _he grumbled in his mind.

His injuries were vigorously complaining about all his activity. Glancing down he spied the dark spots growing on his shirt and pants leg which indicated they were bleeding through the bandages. "Kuso," he hissed from pain and annoyance. Because of the distraction he made what could have proved to be a fatal error.

Without looking he stepped out into the open, bumping into someone already in the street. "Gomen nasai," he muttered as he went to sidestep the person.

"Saito?!" A slender hand reached out and grabbed his arm to prevent him from leaving.

The Wolf's head jerked up and his amber eyes met with Misao's worried blue ones. "Where the hell have you been Itachi?" he growled out as though he did not already know the answer.

"Where do you think? I was following Ito. What are you doing out here on the street?"

"Searching for a little baka Itachi who doesn't seem to understand that this is not some sort of game she's playing. Didn't I tell you to stay out of this onna? Are you insane or just an ahou?"

"Me?! What about you? The police are looking for you and here you are roaming around in plain sight! Che! You're barely even able to walk. Wait a minute! Is that blood on your shirt? It is! Now look what you've done! Didn't I tell you that you were not in any shape to be going anywhere? Don't you see? This is why I had to be the one to go!" The girl's voice had reached that uncomfortably shrill level and her hands were balled tightly into fists by her sides.

"Iie. The only thing you had to do was stay out of the way. Do you have any idea what that yarou would have done if he had caught you? I don't know what sort of nonsense Shinomori was willing to tolerate, but when I give someone an order I expect it to be obeyed," he informed her with the scowl he usually reserved to extract confessions from suspects. It had no effect at all on the ninja.

"I'm not one of your officers Saito! You can't just simply order me around however you please! And for your information, Shinomori is not the Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu anymore. I am! And I'm tired of people like you underestimating me all the time. Believe it or not this is the sort of thing I was trained to do! You wouldn't have hesitated to send one of your men after Ito, so why is it so different with me?"

The cop was on the verge of making a truly scathing reply when he spotted another officer wandering in their direction. "Shimatta!" There was no time to move out of sight, so he did the first reasonable thing that came to mind. Sweeping the startled ninja into an embrace, he planted his lips on her pouting mouth.

The officer saw them as soon as he glanced up. Spying the bundle on the man's back, he assumed he had intruded on a couple's tearful goodbye and hurried on his way. However, the Wolf failed to note that his impromptu plan had worked since he had become far too lost in the act to care.

There was something about the soft, lithe form in his arms that felt so right. The sweet taste of her innocence intoxicated him and the outside world fell into nothing. Unable to resist, he deepened the kiss by tugging gently at the silky lips with his teeth. They parted enough for his tongue to invade the hot, moist cavern beyond.

Misao moaned softly, causing him to snap back to reality. Rudely he jerked away from her and searched the street around them. The other officer had already passed from sight. He heaved a sigh of relief. Turning back to the Itachi he noted with amusement the dazed look on her face. Questioning blue eyes stared up into his own.

"Come on. We should continue our discussion at the Aoiya," he said, placing a hand on her back to steer her in the direction of the restaurant.

The ninja merely nodded her consent, her ability to speak apparently temporarily lost. He wondered what she could possibly be thinking. He also had to wonder just what he had been thinking to kiss her like_ that._ Maybe she was right about his condition at least and he was on the verge of becoming delusional? The nasty little voice just sniggered at his pathetic attempt to deny the truth and the walk back to his temporary home seemed to take forever.

~TBC ~

  



	12. Distractions

To Hazard a Guest

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its character, etc. 

Note - Thoughts are in italics.

******************************************************************************

Chapter 12. Distractions

The treacherous, unexplored areas of the world are not in continents or the seas; they are in the minds and hearts of men.

-Allen E. Claxton

  


Once safely back at the Aoiya, Saito stumbled back to the room where he had been lodged. He had not expected his little adventure to leave him feeling so completely drained and he despised the weakness. Tossing the bundle containing his sword on the floor next to his futon, he wearily sat down and leaned back against the wall.

Misao had scampered off the moment they set foot in the door on the pretense of getting bandages and medicine to treat his wounds. More likely she just wanted to delay the "discussion" he had promised her earlier. That suited him just fine. He had been trying all the way back to compose his thoughts enough to give her a good lecture, but visions of that damned kiss kept getting in the way.

Why was he even obsessing over that? It was not like it had meant anything to him.

_So why can't you just forget about it? If it meant nothing then why did you try to stick your tongue down her throat?_ the annoying voice asked.

He tried to shove it aside. The answer was obviously that too much time had passed since he last touched a woman. He was a man in the prime of his life after all. He was bound to have...needs...every once in a while. Any woman would have triggered the same reaction in him. It had nothing to do with the Itachi personally.

_Iie? Then why couldn't that cute little thing that was angling for your attention just the other day get a 'reaction'? And what about that lovely and oh-so-lonely widow who practically threw herself at you the week before?_

The Wolf groaned and closed his eyes. It was quite apparent what was truly happening to him. Being trapped in the Aoiya with the little Itachi was slowly driving him insane. _I could really use a cigarette right about now._

Misao entered the room a few moments later. Worry pinched her delicate features as she studied him. Other than looking completely worn out it did not seem that his activities had harmed him too much.

Suddenly her gaze fell on his thin lips and she blushed furiously, remembering how they had felt against her own. Quickly she directed her eyes elsewhere. _Get a grip on yourself, Misao. It's not like anything romantic happened,_ she chided herself. _The only reason he did it was so that cop would ignore us._

Crossing the room, she set the medical supplies aside and knelt down beside him. The amber eyes snapped open and met her own. Not wanting to endure whatever speech he had prepared for her, she decided to break the silence first.

"Saito, gomen nasai if I upset you, but surely you can see that you're in no condition to chase after Ito and his gang. Onegai, you have to let me handle things on the outside for now. I understand there are risks involved. I also know that I could never live with myself if you got killed trying to do everything on your own. If it makes you feel any better about the situation, I don't think it will be necessary for either of us to go near those men again. I know who Ito is working with."

The cop's narrow eyes widened in surprise. "Nani?"

She grinned broadly at his shocked expression. "You didn't really think I would come back empty-handed, did you?"

"Hn. Just tell me what you found out Itachi."

"Mou! You know, you have a real problem with your attitude! You'd think you could show some appreciation when someone goes out of their way for you! At the very least stop calling me Itachi! I have a real name or did you forget it again?"

"As I recall, I didn't ask you to do anything. You took it upon yourself to get involved, _Misao._ So are you going to give me the information or must I guess at it?" he asked, raising an eyebrow expectantly.

"Fine. Anou, first off I don't think Ito is just the hired help. He seems to be a much more active participant than that. He's meeting with someone living in one of those new Western-style mansions. The guy's last name was Miyazaki and he appeared to be someone important. From what he was saying he really has it in for you. Do you know him?"

"Miyazaki? Hn. That's very odd. I don't remember having ever met anyone by that name. What else?"

"There was one other man present who I think is the leader of the thugs who ambushed you. I couldn't get his name, but he's real big and scruffy and he only has one eye. He wears a patch over the right one."

"His description doesn't match anyone in the local organizations. That fits with my original theory that this was a new outfit just setting up shop in Kyoto. Alright, we have enough to start with."

"So what should we do next? I'm afraid the Oniwabanshuu's spy network isn't quite what it used to be. They could probably find out where this smuggling ring was operating within the city, but as far as following up on anything outside of Kyoto...."

"Then it's best not to waste our time. How sure are you that Chou wouldn't turn me in if we were to bring him in on this?"

"I'm positive he wouldn't do that. Not after I tell him what's really going on."

"Naruhodo. It's too late to do anything tonight, but tomorrow morning you should try to catch him before he enters the station. Tell him everything we know and have him follow up on the leads you've gathered. I think he should get in touch with some of his old contacts in Osaka. That's where Ito was from and my guess would be that our one-eyed friend came from there as well."

"Hai, I'll tell him."

"One more thing Itachi. Do not _ever_ put anything in my food or drink again," the Wolf warned in the sternest tone he could muster.

The young ninja just laughed merrily in reply. "It was your own fault for being so stubborn."

"Hn. I mean it. Don't ever do that again."

"Gomen! Now sit up and take your shirt off."

Saito smirked at her, a wicked gleam brightening his eyes. "Are you in the habit of making such demands of men you barely know or am I a special case?" he asked in his most sardonic voice, one eyebrow quirked for added effect.

Misao felt her checks burn with embarrassment at the innuendo, but she met his gaze with a fierce glare. "Hentai! I need you to take your shirt off so I can tend to your injuries."

With a soft chuckle, the cop stripped off his shirt. Gently she removed the old bandages and cleaned his wounds. Of course doing so meant touching his bare skin and somehow everywhere her fingers came in contact with him they lingered a bit longer than was necessary.

Feeling him shudder, she glanced up at the Wolf. "I'm not hurting you am I?"

_Hurting you? She's killing you! _the voice sniggered.

Saito simply shook his head in reply to her question. His amber eyes were staring at her in such an intense way that she began to feel supremely self-conscious. Tearing her own gaze from his, she redirected her attention to the task at hand. Soon the injury was neatly packed and bandaged.

Whipping a kunai out of its hiding place, she grabbed hold of his trouser leg and cut a long slit in the fabric so she could treat the leg wound. The cop smirked again.

"Very clever. I can't tell you how worried I was when I first awoke and found you had fixed me up. Until I saw the rip in my pants leg I was afraid you might have taken advantage of me in my sleep," he commented with barely concealed mirth.

Misao felt the heat rushing to her checks yet again. "Kisama hentai!" she growled. Hurriedly she cleansed and dressed the injury, making sure to tie the bandage off extra tight.

**************************

  


Seeing that her "patient" was doing perfectly well now, the Itachi retreated to her own room for the night. Saito felt more than a little exhausted himself , so he stretched himself out on the futon and was soon fast asleep.

Sometime close to morning his eyes popped open of their own accord. Instincts left over from the war told him that someone had quietly entered the room. Looking over at the doorway he saw Misao's vague outline in the dark.

"What is it? Did something happen?" he asked without raising his head.

The ninja's only reply was to cross the room and kneel down beside him. The cop could not help but notice the graceful way her body moved when she covered the short distance or how wonderful she smelled this close to him. Her hair was out of the usual braid and cascaded freely around her body, begging him to run his hand through the silky strands. Raising an eyebrow he stayed quiet, waiting to see what she wanted. The answer was not long in coming.

One slender hand reached out and caressed the side of his face. The Wolf suppressed a gasp of shock at her forward behavior. He would not have thought the innocent little thing had it in her. The Itachi smiled knowingly and allowed her fingers to drift down to his bare chest.

Without warning she leaned over and kissed him fully on the mouth. At her unspoken demand he felt his lips part so that her tongue could sweep inside his mouth....

Saito awoke with a start. It was only a dream, but for a moment it had felt uncomfortably real. _Great. So now I'm having hentai dreams about the little Itachi. I really am going mad in here. Kuso, I need a cigarette,_ he thought grumpily. He resolved to have her purchase some when she left to meet with Chou.

~TBC ~

  



	13. The Woman a Wolf Loved

To Hazard a Guest

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note - Thoughts are in italics.

******************************************************************************

Chapter 13. The Woman a Wolf Loved

What other dungeon is so dark as one's own heart!

-Nathaniel Hawthorne

Pale morning sunlight streamed in through the open window, announcing the start of another day. Misao groaned as her eyes refused to stay closed any longer. _And I was having such a pleasant dream too,_ she thought in disgust.

It was almost the same dream she had been having about her Aoshi-sama for years. Strong arms enfolded her protectively as she leaned contentedly against the well-muscled chest. Unexpectedly he stepped away from her, his hands sliding up to her shoulders to keep her steady.

Usually at this point she would stare up into the ninja's cold eyes for a moment, silently begging him not to leave her. And usually her pleas would go unanswered as he simply turned and walked away, the emotionless mask never slipping out of place.

This time, however, it had been different. This time feral amber eyes had gazed deeply into her own with smouldering desire. His thin lips were twisted into an amused smirk as one of his hands rose up to caress her check. But most importantly, this time instead of walking away he had leaned forward and captured her mouth with his own, revealing a passion the belied his hard, aloof exterior...

With a sudden gasp, Misao sat bolt upright on the futon. A smirk? Amber eyes?! How the hell had Saito managed to sneak into her dream?!

"Baka Wolf. It's because of what he did yesterday," she muttered, kicking away the covers so she could rise. Quickly she set about the daily ritual of braiding her long hair.

Repeatedly her mind wandered back to the little incident on the street with Saito. Even now she could still recall the way his lips had felt against her own. Her very first kiss and it had exceeded every expectation or dream she ever had and invoked feelings she never knew existed. Just her luck that the whole thing was only meant to be a convenient cover!

With a sigh, she finished with her hair and began pulling on her uniform. _If a pretend kiss felt so wonderful, how much more so would the real thing be? Who could have guessed that Saito of all people could be so passionate?_

Another gasp escaped her as Misao dropped the handful of kunai she had been about to tuck away in the folds of her outfit. _What is wrong with me this morning?! Now I'm thinking Saito is passionate?! I should be angry with him! My first kiss came from that baka Wolf just to save his hide and all I can think is he was passionate?!_

Desperately she brought to mind every character flaw the man had. It was just impossible that she could have feelings for the cop. He was arrogant, sarcastic, ruthless, calculating, rude, intelligent, handsome, brave, dedica......

Suddenly Misao's legs would not support her any more and she collapsed into a heap by the scattered kunai, her blue eyes wide and staring. She did have feelings for Saito or at least she was beginning to. That could not happen!

It would be the whole Aoshi thing all over again. Worse actually. Both of them might hold everyone else an arm's length from their hearts, but Saito would never hesitate to show his contempt for her "childish feelings". _Letting myself care about him like that is even more hopeless than it was with Aoshi-sama. I just have to nip this in the bud now and forget all about it! I will not let myself fall for Saito and that's that!_

Picking up her throwing knives, she stowed them in her uniform and stood. _Besides,_ she thought to herself as she stepped out of her room, _even if it's a bit...strained...right now, Saito is still married. If there's one thing I've come to know about the Wolf of Mibu it's that he never gives up. I'm sure he's fighting with everything he has to get her back, so there really isn't any chance for me anyways._

  


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Saito groaned when the genki little ninja bounced into the room with his breakfast tray. It was bad enough that she always had a bright smile and a sparkle in her blue eyes, but did she have to wear that skimpy outfit as well? He played it safe and focused his attention on the steaming bowl she brought him. _I'd kill for a cigarette right now._

"Anou, I'd better go if I want to get to the police station in time to catch Chou," the ninja said after a few seconds of being ignored.

The cop glanced up quickly, meaning to ask her to purchase some tobacco for him before she took off and discovered the girl had made no move to rise. Instead she seemed to be staring at his mouth intently. Puzzled, he wiped his lips in the assumption he had something on them. It must have been the correct one because she stirred then and jumped up.

"Oh, right! Like I said, I should go now!" she giggled nervously, backing out of the room.

Saito raised a quizzical eyebrow at her odd behavior, but decided not to pursue the subject. He had come to realize years ago he would never understand the female mind. "Hold on a moment," he ordered, causing the woman to stop abruptly "There's one other thing I need you to do for me."

Misao simply continued to stand there without responding. She seemed to be staring at his mouth again. The cop frowned, positive he had nothing on it this time. He cleared his throat, startling the ninja back to reality.

"Anou...Gomen! Were you saying something?" she asked in a sheepish tone.

"Hai. I was going to have you purchase some cigarettes for me if it wouldn't be.... Itachi are you listening to me?" the Wolf snapped. She had once again drifted off on him, her eyes clearly focused on his lips. _What is she staring at?_

The young woman shook her head slightly, as if to clear it. "Cigarettes! Anou... Sure! I'll stop on the way back and get you some cigarettes! Ja ne!" she turned and fled from his sight.

Saito reached over and grabbed the bundle which contained his sword. Unwrapping it, he pulled the blade from its sheath enough to use its reflective surface as a mirror. There was absolutely nothing on his face.

"Hn. I wonder what that silly onna's problem is now?" he grumbled as he slammed his blade back into its sheath. It was bad enough if he was going crazy without the Itachi joining him for the trip. _She'd better remember my cigarettes..._

************************

Police Officer Sawagejou Chou was a mere half a block from the station when someone grabbed him from behind. Before the broom-headed cop had time to react he was jerked down a small side alley. Strangely his assailant choose to release him rather than rendering him unconscious or prodding him with a weapon. Not wanting to give the ahou the opportunity to correct the mistake, the former Juppon Gatana member whirled around to face his attacker.

An instant later he dropped his defensive stance though the scowl remained on his face. "Itachi Musume! Just what do you think you're playing at? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Misao did not even pay any attention to the broom-head's rant. "Chou, I pulled you aside because I have to talk to you about something. We need your help."

Confused by what the little ninja meant by "we", Chou glanced around. There did not appear to be anyone else in the alley with them...

"You can stop looking, Chou. I came here alone."

"So what exactly is this favor you want from me?" the blond man asked suspiciously.

"Do you remember what you told me the other morning? How you thought there was something suspicious about Sakamoto's murder?"

"Aa, and I still do. I just can't see the boss knocking some politician off without a reason. Not to mention all the other things that don't add up. Least not to anyone who really knows Saito."

"Anou, you were right. Saito didn't kill anyone. I know this because he was with me at the Aoiya all yesterday morning and the night before."

"Nani?!"

Misao winced, thinking at first that Chou was angry at being kept in the dark. However, the expression on his face suggested another emotion.

"You... You and....Saito?" the broom-headed cop stuttered incredulously.

The ninja found herself completely mystified by his behavior and cryptic words. "Hai. Me and Saito. What of it?" 

The blond man only continued to gape at her in shock. Slowly understanding dawned on Misao. "Why you hentai?! Kecho Giri!"

"Itai!"

***************************

As soon as Chou's head recovered from being kicked, Misao explained the events at the Onbin-yoru, how Saito had wound up at the Aoiya, and what they knew of Ito and his companions. It was not hard to get the cop to agree to dig up information on the three.

"It will take a bit to get a message all the way to Osaka and for my old buddies to find out what we need to know. Meet me back here in three days. I should know something by then," the broom-headed man assured her.

Misao nodded. " I'll be here. Arigatou Chou."

"Feh! Don't mention it. He might be a cold-hearted yarou most of the time, but I'd still rather work with Saito than Ito any day," the former Juppon Gatana member said, waving as he turned to go.

The young ninja stood there uncertainly for just a second. Suddenly she decided to ask the question that had bothered her the most since the whole mess began. "Chou, matte! I... need to ask you something," she called out.

He glanced back impatiently. "What is it now, Itachi Musume?"

"Anou... I was just wondering about Saito's wife. I offered to take a message to her so she wouldn't be worried, but he got real angry and said I should leave it alone. I thought at first he just didn't want to risk her getting involved. Then he said something kind of... I don't know. Chou, are they having some kind of trouble? Did Tokio leave Saito or..."

Misao was cut off by the cop's low laughter. She would have thought it was at her expense, yet it was too humorless for that. It was the kind of bitter laugh one used when recollecting bad memories.

"I don't guess it should surprise me none that he hasn't told you. He won't talk about it to anyone. Not since the day it happened."

Her breath caught in her throat at the chilling implication of his words. Whatever it was, she knew that it had been something terrible. "What happened?" she asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

"It wasn't too long after that deal with Yukishiro. He had just returned from three months in Hokkaido, so to celebrate their reunion the boss and Tokio-san were supposed to go out to dinner that night. Just the two of them. It was going to be real romantic and all.

"We know that a little over an hour or so before the boss left to go home, Tokio-san took their son over to her parent's house. He was going to stay the night with them. Once she dropped him off, she had to hurry back to their house. Said she wanted to have plenty of time to get ready.

At some point while she was out, someone broke into their home. As far as we could tell, Tokio-san must have walked in and surprised the thief. Anyways, whoever it was they...killed her."

"Iie!" Misao's hand flew to her mouth as she gasped the word. She could feel the tears starting in her eyes. _Tokio was murdered?! _ "And Saito?" she finally asked.

"The boss... You should have seen him before he left the station that night. You wouldn't have even recognized him as the same man. Tokio-san always had that effect on him. He was just...different....happy, I guess, whenever he was with her. Not that he doesn't love the kid, mind you, but we could all tell how much he was looking forward to having her all to himself for a while.

"Anou, it wasn't too long after he left that he came stumbling back into the station. There was this look in his eye that I can't even begin to explain. I reckon those were what you would call the eyes of a man who was utterly lost.

"I saw him first and made some crack about why he was back so soon. He just turned to me and said 'She's gone'. I thought at first he meant Tokio-san had left home, but he shook his head and said it again. And that's when he showed me the blood on his hands.

"That got everyone's attention pretty quick. We finally got enough out of him to understand that he'd walked into their foyer and found her dead from a stab wound. We sent some men right over then, course it was too late to do any good. Never could figure out who the culprit was.

"Saito, he just barricaded himself in his office that night. I tried to go in and talk to him, but he wouldn't open the door. I think I heard him crying at one point. Never was too sure about that.

"For a long time after that Saito just wasn't the same man anymore. He didn't pay attention to things like he used to. For a while it seemed the police force was going all to pieces. It was during that mess that Ito arrived. That's how he managed to worm him way up so far, without the boss noticing him. If he had come in at any other time Saito would have already crushed him like the slimy little bug he is.

"Eventually, the boss pulled himself together again, probably for his son's sake. At any rate, he started taking control around the station again. He almost had the whole department reorganized and back to normal when this mess happened."

Misao felt the tears spilling down her checks. "How awful! What could have been so important to steal that someone could actually take another person's life?"

"Nothing. That's just it. Whoever it was didn't get a chance to steal anything. It seemed to us that Tokio-san came in right after they broke in. They stabbed her so she couldn't identify them, then of course they panicked and left without taking anything. Least that's the way we figured it out."

_No wonder Saito got so angry with me! All this time I thought he was upset because of something Tokio might have done, but what he was really feeling was pain._ "I didn't realize...."

"Not surprising. The boss, he's a very private sort of man. He'd never share his true feelings with just any body. Anou, I'd better be getting over to the station before someone gets suspicious. Ja ne," Chou called over his shoulder as he walked off.

"Yeah. Ja ne," Misao replied dully, still processing everything she had been told. Turning her own steps toward the little shop Saito had indicated, she found herself a little more kindly disposed to the Wolf's bad attitude.

*************************

Saito lay back to rest, yet he soon found himself fidgeting again. He was about to die for a smoke. On top of that, each time he closed his eyes he either experienced vivid images from his dream or he began to recall details of that little kiss._ So this is what torture feels like,_ he thought dryly.

Giving up on sleep, he forcefully turned his thoughts to his present situation. He tried to remember where and when he met Ito, but for some reason he kept finding himself thinking of the inn where he was ambushed.

_Why am I worrying about that? There's nothing more to be learned from my ambush,_ he scolded himself. Some gut instinct argued otherwise.

_Why ambush someone in an inn of all places? They could have just as easily lured me out to a more secluded area. Instead they risked possible interference and capture. That doesn't make sense._

Something else nagged at the back of his mind that he couldn't quite grasp. Whatever it was, he knew it bore closer inspection. He would be able to concentrate better once he had a cigarette. _I sure wish Itachi would hurry up,_ he thought absently.

_I'll just bet you do. After all, she's so much nicer to look at than these boring old walls, ne? _the little voice in his head started up. _And it's been such a long time since you've had anything nice to look at, has it not?_

With a sigh, Saito closed his eyes again and gave up all hope of retaining any of his sanity.

~TBC ~

  
  
  
  
  



	14. To Touch the Wolf

To Hazard a Guest

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note - Thoughts are in italics.

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Chapter 14. To Touch the Wolf

  


The silence often of pure innocence Persuades when speaking fails.

-William Shakespeare

  


Misao was now in a really bad mood. _I'll try this one more time, then I'm giving up!_ she thought darkly as she once again turned around and headed in the direction of the little imported goods shop. Her mind was so preoccupied with the Wolf that she had now passed the door of her destination a grand total of seven times.

On the eighth try she managed to enter the building. Instantly she was overwhelmed by the strange and wonderful foreign luxuries the store offered. After a lot of gawking, she finally found the horrid tobacco sticks Saito wanted. Turning to go toward the shop's front, her steps were halted by a sweet, delicate melody wafting through the air.

The music was coming from a large wooden box near the door. It was a deep walnut color with brass fittings and a floral painting decorating the cover. Inside a spiky metal bar rotated, the notches snagging a metal comb to produce the heavenly sounds. Misao was completely entranced by its beauty.

The shopkeeper told her the tune had been written by a European named Bach. The contraption itself was called a music box and came all the way from someplace known as Switzerland. The young ninja could only sigh wistfully. She would have loved to possess the wonderful object but it cost a small fortune.

Indicating she was ready to pay, Misao walked over to the counter. With a friendly smile, the store owner offered her a sample of a new "treat" he had just received. The dark chunk of what he called "chocolate" felt hard and she wondered how anyone could possibly eat such a thing without breaking their teeth. At the man's urging she gingerly put it in her mouth. Instantly, it began to melt and its delicious flavor sent a wave of pure ecstacy rushing through her. Eagerly she purchased a tin of it along with the cigarettes.

Leaving the shop, Misao headed for the Aoiya with eager steps, anxious to share her discovery with the Wolf.

*************************

Bored out of his mind, Saito carefully climbed to his feet. Pants were not the most comfortable things in the world to lie around in and he wondered if Shinomori left anything more suitable behind. Gradually making his way to the ninja's old room, he searched around and found a light blue yukata.

After changing attire, he returned to the downstairs room. He was just settling back down on the futon when the little ninja came strolling in with a box of cigarettes and a tin of some unknown item. She had also remembered to bring some matches and an ashtray from the restaurant with her.

Setting the mystery object aside, she brought him the other articles which he gratefully accepted. Lighting one of the cigarettes, he leaned back against the wall and took a long drag from it, his eyes closing with pleasure. The tobacco brought a welcome calm to his nerves. He let a long stream of smoke roll from his lungs before he opened his eyes again.

Glancing up at the young woman to thank her, Saito was surprised to find her glaring at him. "Nani?"

"I see you've been making yourself at home. You didn't hurt yourself again while you were nosing around?"

"Of course not. Why? Afraid I might get away from you once I'm healed, Itachi?" he asked with a mischievous glint in his eye.

Misao snorted. "Iie. I just don't want to be stuck taking care of you forever."

The cop felt a little sting at this denial and it perplexed him. _Now why should I care wether or not Itachi wants me here?_ He brushed the thought aside as she knelt down beside him.

"Chou said he would have some information for us in a few days."

Saito merely nodded in acknowledgment. For sometime neither of them spoke again. The cop could see the girl was biting her lower lip as if debating with herself. He sighed, knowing he was going to regret whatever it was she wanted to ask him.

"Now what is it?" he growled, snuffing out the cigarette.

The tone of her voice was hesitant. "Saito... I'm sorry about your wife."

The expression on his face made her shrink back in sudden fear. Unsteadily he lunged to his feet, ignoring the physical pain the move must have caused. He stood over her, swaying slightly with fists tightly clenched. "That yarou Chou. He couldn't keep his mouth shut for once, could he?"

"It's not his fault. I asked him. I just thought..."

"Iie. You didn't _think,_ Itachi. That's your whole problem. Did I not tell you to leave it alone?"

"Saito, I only wanted to help you! I couldn't understand why you were acting the way you did and I'm just so sorry...."

"I don't need your pity, Misao," he sneered coldly as he turned his back on her. He took a step and stumbled as his injuries protested.

Leaping up, Misao rushed to help him. Before she could touch him, the cop righted himself and skewered her with a look that must have been the one he wore during the days of the Bakumatsu. It said quite clearly, _Come any closer and you die._

Limping to the back of the room, he slammed open the shouji that lead into the Aoiya's courtyard. Leaning against the doorframe, he stared off into nothing. It was meant as a dismissive gesture, telling her to leave him alone.

The ninja had no intention of doing such a thing however. Despite the venom of his words, she had seen the sorrow lurking in the depths of those amber pools and it broke her heart. All she wanted was to ease his grief somehow.

Even Misao really did not understand what instinct made her cross the distance between them. Coming up behind the Wolf, she quietly slipped her arms around his waist, her forehead resting against his back.

Saito tensed at her touch and she thought he would pull away. Instead he let out a ragged breath and relaxed. The cop half-turned toward her as he reached down and gently grasped one of her hands. Pulling it up to his chest, he caressed the back of it lightly with his thumb. Keeping his eyes averted to the clear afternoon sky, in a voice so soft she only could hear because she was right next to him, he let the terrible memory pour out of him.

"I knew something was wrong before the house even came into view. There was a stillness in the air that night, like the one a lone survivor experiences just after a fierce battle. And then, as I approached the path leading to the little bridge near the rear of my home, the smell hit me. Blood. A great quantity of blood.

"I drew my sword and ran forward until my house was in sight. I could see there was no light burning in the kitchen, something Tokio never let happen. Even more ominous, the back shouji was standing wide open. As I drew closer I could see the latch had been broken.

"Rushing inside, I frantically called for Tokio to answer me. But the house was eerily quiet; the only sounds I heard were my own labored breathing and the blood pounding inside my head. I followed the metallic tinge in the air to the front of the house and that's where I found her.

"She lay crumpled in the middle of the foyer like some discarded doll. The front of her favorite white kimono was stained a hideous crimson and a sickly, glistening pool seeped out from under her. I don't even remember dropping my sword or how I got to her side. I just have the vaguest recollection of finding myself on my knees, clutching her to me and knowing she was gone.

"She didn't go quietly. I knew that the instant I turned her head and saw her face. Although her eyes were dull and clouding, the furrow of her brow and that defiant set to her jaw was a look I knew only too well." He gave a faint, mirthless laugh. "I imagine she gave the same scowl to whoever she'd come across that she used to give me whenever I left my dirty ashtrays lying about or bled across one of her floors.

"I didn't have the presence of mind to note much about the rest of the room then. I've often wondered if something important was overlooked by the officers who came to investigate. Something that I might have noticed if I could have handled things myself.

"When I finally made myself return days later, I could see from the state of things that Tokio must have put up some struggle. About the only things that survived intact were a cabinet her brother gave us as a wedding gift and a vase of chrysanthemums sitting on the table by the front entrance. The flowers were almost completely withered by then, so it was hard to tell what color they used to be. I think they might have been either yellow or white. I can only figure she must have bought them as a joke of some sort. She was always teasing me in some way or another about the first time we met."

"What do you mean?" Misao asked gently, fearing to pry yet wanting to know more.

Saito turned his head so he could meet her gaze. "Tokio hated chrysanthemums. They made her nose itch. Of course, I didn't know that when we were first introduced and no one had the good sense to warn me. So like an ahou I brought her a whole batch of them and had the pleasure of listening to her sneeze for the next two hours," he explained with a wry smile that faded far too soon.

"Even if she had not been my wife, I cannot see how anyone could be cold-blooded enough to do something so vicious to such a gentle soul. Tokio never harmed anyone in her life. She did not know how to be anything but kind and compassionate. Only a truly evil yarou could destroy someone so good." 

The Wolf's jaw clenched in suppressed rage and the feral light burning in his amber eyes promised terrible retribution for the crime. Misao shuddered, glad that it had nothing to do with her.

"Do you think you'll be able to find the person responsible soon? Chou said the police would probably never catch him, but I know you better than to believe you'd ever let it end that way."

The cop gave a weary sigh. " As much as I'd like to deny the fact, the yarou may have eluded justice. Officially I'm not allowed to have anything to do with the investigation since it's a matter that involves me personally. There may be important pieces of evidence of which I'm not aware. I've combed all the usual places where such a man might go for any word of gossip, interviewed every potential witness, and followed up on every lead I heard whispered in the department myself. There has been nothing brought to light that would identify her killer. With this type of random crime, unless someone comes forward with information or you discover a clue that directly links a suspect to the deed, the case almost always remains unsolved."

"I believe in you, Saito. Sooner or later, you'll find the man who did that to her. I know you will."

It seemed the most natural thing in the world to wrap his free arm around the girl and pull her close. The ninja made no protest. Instead, she leaned into him so her head rested against his chest. They stood that way for some time before the intimate nature of the contact occurred to them.

When it came, the break was mutual and abrupt. Saito dropped her hand and the arm he had draped around her. Misao awkwardly backed away, crossing her arms in front of her. An uneasy silence stretched between them and they both glanced around the room, seeking another topic to break the tension.

_Shimatta! What is the matter with me? Itachi probably thinks I'm some old lecher now._ Not that he particularly cared what she thought of him, the Wolf tried to reassure himself. Wisely, he chose not to question why he wanted to hold her in the first place.

Misao's emotions were in a similar state of confusion. _Baka! Doesn't the Wolf tease you enough as it is?! Do you want him to think you're so desperate that you throw yourself at every available man who comes along?! Or worse, do you want him to realize you have a silly crush on him? Don't make an ahou out of yourself, Misao! You made that mistake with Aoshi. There's no excuse for making it again with Saito._

Suddenly her eyes fell on the box of cigarettes, bringing back to mind the marvelous contraption she had seen. " I forgot to tell you about the music box!" she exclaimed with renewed excitement.

"Music box?" the cop asked with a bewildered expression. Thankful for any distraction, he sat down by the open door to enjoy the afternoon sunshine.

Misao plopped down next to him. "At the shop you sent me to. They had this wooden box from Europe that plays music! I wish you could have heard it! It made such a beautiful sound and the shopkeeper said...," the girl's delighted voice went on and on as she described the coveted treasure to him.

Vaguely, Saito recalled seeing such a thing the last time he had stopped at the store. He smiled at Misao's youthful enthusiasm for such a simple thing and, for a while, his troubles were forgotten.

~ TBC ~

  
  
  
  



	15. Unguarded Moments and an Evil New Plot

To Hazard a Guest

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note - Thoughts are in italics.

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Chapter 15. Unguarded Moments and an Evil New Plot.

If everything on earth were rational, nothing would happen.

-Feodor Dostoevski

  


After lunch, Misao busied herself cleaning around the Aoiya. It was growing quite late by the time she tackled the kitchen. She scrubbed the dishes from their last meal clean, unaware of the amber eyes that watched from the doorway her every move with keen interests.

Saito knew he should not stare. But really, what else was there for him to do? Besides, a little harmless observation never hurt anything.

_Hai. Observing that all day couldn't hurt a man at all,_ the wicked voice cheerfully agreed.

_Shimatta!_ The Wolf had to suppress a growl. Never before in his life had he been tempted to stick his sword through his own head. That was the entire problem with inner voices - you could not do them bodily harm without doing it to yourself.

All at once the young ninja became aware of his presence. "Saito? Are you ok? Did you need something?" she inquired in a concerned tone.

_Kuso!_ _Nice going ahou._ He cast around in his mind for anything he could say that would keep her from thinking him a bigger hentai than she did already. Not that he cared what she thought of him. Suddenly something important he wanted her to do did come to mind, saving him the embarrassment of explaining why he was staring at her. _As if I have any reason to be embarrassed for being caught watching the Itachi wash the dishes. It's not like she was dressing or something._

"I'm fine Itachi. Actually, there is a matter I would like for you to check into tomorrow morning. It may tell us why these men are after my life."

"Of course. What do you want me to do?"

"The inn where I was ambushed... There's something familiar about it. I want you to check the place out. See if you can learn of any significant events that took place in its past. Police raids, murders, whatever I might have been involved in that could cause someone to hold a grudge against me," he instructed her.

Misao gave him a funny look. "You mean you really don't remember? Exactly what kind of cop forgets something like that?!"

Saito arched an eyebrow at her. "The busy kind. Do you have any idea how many cases I've handled that revolved around incidents at various inns in just that past six months? Trust me, a detail or two is bound to slip your mind after a while. Anyway, I don't recall the circumstances, but I know that I've been to the Onbin-yoru before. I need the reason why these people chose to lure me there."

The ninja nodded. "Alright, I'll go first thing in the morning. While I'm at it, I might as well check around and see if anyone in the area saw your attackers."

"Hn. _If_ they'll talk. I wouldn't be surprised to learn Ito has threatened potential witnesses into silence."

Feeling himself beginning to tire, Saito turned and limped back down the hall to his room. Misao finished up the dishes and went to join him. As she walked through the door, she spotted the tin of chocolate she had put aside earlier.

"Oi! You have to taste this, Saito! It's delicious!" Grabbing the tin and prying the lid off, she walked over to him and held it out so he could take a piece.

The cop merely looked at the dark blocks suspiciously. In his experience, when an item was that color it had either gone bad or was not food to begin with.

"Oh, stop being a baka and try some already!" Misao ordered impatiently.

Reluctantly the Wolf picked up one of the chunks and nibbled a corner tentatively. The foreign confection turned out to be pleasantly sweet and rich and he found himself reaching for another piece. "This is good."

Misao grinned triumphantly as she kneeled down beside him. " I told you!" she said before

stuffing a piece in her own mouth.

The ninja sighed in contentment. She had initially believed after opening her big mouth that morning the day would end badly. Fortunately, Saito's blow up was temporary and he had even opened up to her, if only a bit. It might have seemed a monumental feat if Aoshi had not resisted more determined efforts for much longer. So perhaps the situation was not completely hopeless and...

_And what, Misao? Go through all that heartache and grief for nothing? The Wolf might be willing to tolerate you for now because he has no other choice, but in the end he will leave and you'll probably never see him again. Then what will you do? Or will you show him how pathetic you are by trailing him all over Japan the way you did Aoshi? Iie, let it go while you still can and be thankful he didn't think to question why you were wallowing all over him before._

She bit into another piece of chocolate. At least she had this indulgence with which to console herself.

Unbeknownst to the girl, Saito was once more gazing at her out of the corner of his eye. He wondered what had come over the genki Itachi. She had grown unexpectedly quiet and there was a forlorn look on her face. Then it hit him: _She must be thinking of Shinomori._

Oddly, he felt a little annoyed at this realization. _Now why did she have to go and ruin a good thing by worrying about that ahou?_ Obviously it was no concern of his and it did not bother him in the least if she still had lingering feelings for the Icicle. He just did not care for the way her melancholy soured the mood.

"What's wrong Itachi? Am I that boring?" he asked jokingly, trying to lighten things again.

Misao only frowned and hung her head. "You truly think I look like some smelly rodent? Do I really disgust you so much?"

"Nani?" His eyes widened a bit in shock. Where was this coming from?

"You never call me 'Misao'. It's always 'Itachi'. I just figure that means you hate the way I look."

Instinctively, Saito reached out and caressed her check with a calloused palm, forcing her to look at him. "I do not dislike you or your appearance, Misao. What I'm about to tell you stays between us. Understand? If any word of it ever comes back to me, especially from Battousai or the Ahou, I'll know who to come looking for."

The young woman nodded, curious about what deep, dark secret the cop could be hiding.

"When I first saw you, you were very hyperactive - hopping all over the place and sticking your nose into everything. It reminded me of Akio."

"Akio? Who is that?" 

"Akio was the name of the pet itachi I found when I was nine."

The ninja thought her eyes were going to bulge right out of her head. "_You_ had a pet itachi?!"

"As a matter of fact, hai. I discovered him at the edge of the woods one morning, too weak from hunger to move. He was just a baby, old enough to start being weaned but not able to care for himself yet. I guess the mother fell prey to some predator and he came out in the open to try and forage for himself.

"Anyway, I stuck the sorry little thing in my gi so it wouldn't freeze to death and carried it home with me. My mother had a fit, but I got to keep him in the end. Akio was an inquisitive creature right from the start. He was always getting into anything and everything he wasn't supposed to and causing mischief for me. The only time he ever sat still was when he slept.

"So you see, when I saw you in that village, the way you were bouncing all over the place reminded me of Akio. That's why I said you looked like an itachi. I was actually referring to your actions, not your appearance. Then again, what's so wrong with being compared to such a cute, clever little creature?" he asked with an amused smirk.

Misao found herself smiling as well. It was hard to imagine Saito playing with an animal at any age. Still, his story made her feel a lot differently about being called 'Itachi'. As long as he was the only one who called her that, she thought she could live with being 'cute' and 'clever'.

"Whatever happened to Akio?" she inquired, picking up another piece of chocolate.

The cop gave a slight shrug. "Old age is my guess. One afternoon when I was sixteen, I came home and found him curled up in the middle of my futon. He had gone to sleep and never woke again."

"That's so sad!"

"Hn. It was probably a long life for an itachi." Unexpectedly he chuckled. "I've never mentioned him to anyone before. Not even Tokio. You're the first person outside of my parents and siblings to know about Akio."

"I feel sorry for myself now. I've never had a pet."

"I thought I might get my son, Tsutomu, one someday. Maybe I'll try to find him an itachi," the cop mused for a moment.

Misao shook her head in wonder and confusion. She did not know how it happened, but she had stumbled across the private, domestic side of the Wolf's life. The knowledge that eventually she would be regulated back to the outside world dominated by the tough, cynical cop suddenly overwhelmed her. Unconsciously she leaned her head against his shoulder and stared up at him with shimmering blue eyes.

The contact set off a whirl of emotions within the Wolf as he gazed into those enchanting blue orbs. Without thinking he pulled the young woman to him. The ninja needed no encouragement as she boldly reached for him, one hand massaging the back of his neck while the other slipped up to tangle in his hair. His lips sought her softer ones and he lovingly traced them before gently nipping her lower lip to get her to open for him. Immediately his tongue swept inside to begin a slow dance with her's, causing a moan to escape as she leaned her head back so he could explore her mouth more thoroughly.

One of his hands made its way down to her narrow waist, while the other slipped inside her outfit to caress her through the thin material of her chest bindings. Leaving off his exploration of the hot, moist cavern, the cop began to trail little kisses down the side of her neck until he found the sensitive spot right where it met her shoulder. Misao made a small noise in her throat as he lazily swirled his tongue on the site. Her eyes closed as she savored the sensation.

Wanting to find a more comfortable position to continue his explorations, he slowly lowered her toward the soft layers of his futon. The movement caused a sharp pain to radiate from his wounded side and he gave an involuntary hiss of pain. The moment was lost beyond all recall as all at once he became aware of what he was doing. Mortified by his behavior, he jerked his hands off the innocent young woman at once.

_Anou, you've done it now Saito. You've crossed the line. She'll probably want you out of here now. Ahou! _

Misao felt bereft as the Wolf's hands unaccountably withdrew from her. Her eyes fluttered open to see the wolf gaping at her with a strange look on his face. It was then that she comprehended what she had done.

_Iie!_ And she had been so afraid of the ridicule the cop would heap on her if he ever guessed her feelings for him! This was a disaster! Not only did he have to know now that her affections had transferred themselves to him, but he must think her the worst kind of saseko! With a strangled sob, she leapt to her feet and fled to the safety of her own room.

With a shaky breath, Saito lit a cigarette and took a long drag to calm his nerves. He could not believe he had allowed his prized self-control to slip so far that lust had taken hold and made him take advantage of the girl's naive trust that way. It rattled him to think what might have happened if his injuries had not interfered. Even more disturbing, a part of him cursed the weakness that had made his desire for the girl go unfulfilled and he found he could no longer deny to himself that it was specifically Misao that he wanted. He feared her sending him packing now, not because he thought that in his current condition he would be unable to fend for himself, but because it meant he would no longer be near _her._ And yet how was he to avoid acting on the further temptations that would surely arise if he stayed?

Sighing, he snuffed out the cigarette and got wearily to his feet. There was no justifying or excusing his actions now. The only thing he could do was apologize and hope Misao forgave him. At least enough to temporarily continue to hide and aid him. Slowly he limped out of the room and made his way upstairs.

  


************************

  


Misao stood by the window, staring out at the gathering dusk. The moon was still several days from the full she half-heartedly noted.

What was the matter with her?! More importantly, how could she ever face him again? Hai, he had responded to her when she shoved herself against him. Very few men would not. However, the blame for what happened ultimately lay with her and he would condemn her for her behavior later. Not just for what she had done and allowed him to do, but for what she _would_ have let him do had his injuries not stopped him. A tear slid down her check at the thought of those beautiful amber eyes staring at her with contempt. But how could she possibly salvage this mess?

There was a brief rap on her shouji before it slid open. Glancing around, she saw the Wolf regarding her from the doorway. _He couldn't even wait till morning to berate me._ Then she saw the look in his eyes. Far from being angry and self-righteous, she could detect only shame in them.

"Misao, gomen nasai for my conduct downstairs. It was unforgivable for me to force myself on you in that manner. I swear it will never happen again. I understand if you cannot simply set this matter behind us and wish for me to leave. All I can do now is offer you my most sincere apologies. I'll await your decision downstairs."

Having said his piece, Saito slid the shouji shut again. She listened to him retreat back to the lower level of the Aoiya. It was not only then that she realized she had forgotten to breath.

Her mind was dumbstruck by his words. _He's apologizing to me?! Saito's really taking the blame for this on himself? But...why?_ It could not be to protect her reputation. No one else knew or would know as long as he said nothing. And it was unlikely that the cop would do something like that to stop her from feeling humiliated. It was not his nature to shield others from their own mistakes. 

_Then he has to truly believe that he was at fault. _But if that was so, then it meant he had wanted her to begin with, did it not? Misao's eyes grew wide as the full impact of that thought registered. _Could Saito actually be attracted to me?!_

**********************

  


In another part of Kyoto, Miyazaki was also standing by a window watching the growing darkness with hands clasped behind his back. Otomo's men had still not been able to find where Saito was hiding and the police were not having any better luck. The time had come to take drastic measures. He glared over at his "fellow conspirators" who were currently absorbed in a game of shogi.

"It's been long enough. I'm tired of waiting. It is time we set the plan to draw Saito out into motion," he announced in a cold voice.

Ito looked up with a sly smile. "Excellent. I was thinking that we could plant a rumor that someone claimed to have seen 'the real killer' leaving Sakamoto's hotel. That should be sufficient to..."

"Ahou! I'm not going to wait for some rumor to make its way back to him! Especially one that might draw the attention of others. Otomo-san, tomorrow I want you to send the Kobayashi brothers to this address," he informed the one-eye as he approached. He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to the man.

"Takagi Kojuurou? I don't understand. How can a former Aizu official help us now?" the muscular man inquired.

"He daughter was Saito's wife. More importantly, he has their son in his care."

The other men could only stare at him with gaping mouths and eyes wide in disbelief. Surely he was not suggesting they take a _child_ hostage?

"Miyazaki-san, do you truly think it's wise to antagonize our enemy in that manner? Saito is an unforgiving man. If we...," Ito began, but the other man cut him off.

"I swore that I would remove the stain that is Saito Hajime from this world and that is what I intend to do! Down to the very last drop of his blood," the lean man stated with an odd light in his eyes.

Otomo and Ito exchanged glances, not liking the implications of his words.

"Hai, boss," the one-eyed man answered in a shaken voice.

Hurriedly, he and the cop made their excuses and fled the room. Once out in the hall, Otomo gave the other man a pointed look. It said without words: _This is not what we agreed to._

With a derisive snort, Ito turned his back and walked away. He did his best to appear unconcerned about Miyazaki's request. Secretly however he could not suppress a small shiver of dread.

~TBC ~


	16. When Weasels Attack

To Hazard a Guest

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note - Thoughts are in italics.

******************************************************************************

Chapter 16. When Weasels Attack

Passionate hatred can give meaning and purpose to an empty life.

-Eric Hoffer

  


Saito scowled out into the night as he leaned against the frame of the open shouji. He had already gone through three cigarettes and was starting on a fourth as he waited for Misao to come to some sort of resolution. Absently he wondered what was taking her so long.

Strangely he did not feel particularly impatient over the delay. He welcomed it and dreaded the moment when the ninja would descend the stairs and order him out of her life. The cop had learned only too recently that he was not good at dealing with pain and that is exactly what this situation promised for him. He had never expected to feel anything for the little Itachi, but that is what ended up happening. Now he could only try to weather the storm in his heart and soul.

The Wolf smirked slightly at his morbid musings. Were this to occur to someone else he might have thought it humorous. He had always known the Itachi would be a source of misery for him. He just would never have guessed what kind.

At long last he heard her light tread in the hallway. Turning around, he saw Misao appear in the opposite doorway. Even in the dim light provided by the little lantern he could see the girl was biting her lower lip, an uncertain look in her eye. For several long seconds neither of them spoke.

Eventually the ninja slowly crossed the room to stand by his side. A jolt of surprise ran through him when she laid her hand on his arm. Raising her shimmering blue gaze to meet his amber one, she finally broke the silence.

"Saito... I just need to know. What do you feel...about me?"

A look of confusion came over the cop's face. He had not been expecting her to inquire about his sentiments. Why would she want to know that? Unless? "Misao?"

"Onegai. I won't try to hold you to anything. And I won't let you go running off on your own now, when you're still in no shape to handle this by yourself, so forget any nonsense about leaving. You're not the only one to blame for what happened before, you know. We were both at fault. But I want to understand what is going on between us. Was that just the moment or something more? That's why I have to ask you again exactly what do you feel about me?"

The cop sighed heavily. Of course she would have to ask the one question he had not even fully answered for himself yet. He knew that he cared about her, but...

_Ahou. Then tell her what you do know. She deserves to know the whole truth, ne?_

"I...care about you, Misao. A great deal."

The hand slipped from his arm and the girl tore her eyes from his as she turned away. She folded her arm protectively in front of her and bowed her head slightly. "You care about me," she repeated in a hollow tone, as if disappointed.

It took him a few moments to understand why his answer affected her so. _Shinomori. That had been his attitude, had it not? He cared about her. Never he loved her._ Silently cursing himself, he reached out a hand and gently turned her back toward him. With the other hand he cupped her chin and made her look at him.

"Allow me to clarify that statement. I don't know exactly how deep whatever this is I feel for you goes. I don't know if it's love or, if not, wether it ever will be. What I do know is that when I say 'I care for you', I meant that I care for you in the way a man cares for a woman. Not the way Shinomori meant those words. Me feelings are not quite so...innocent...as you have already seen. So again I say that I care about you, Misao."

A small smile tugged at the edges of her lips. She turned her face so that she could plant a little kiss in the center of his calloused palm. "Then that will have to be enough for now. I care about you too, Saito. A great deal. Maybe even more than that. So I guess the question is what do we do now?"

The intimate gesture made his heart miss a beat or two. He could not quite grasp that he was hearing her correctly. He had expected to be tossed out on the street and instead she gives him a wondrous gift. He was not going to mess up this second chance at happiness.

"That part is easy. We do nothing at all. Whatever the emotion between us, it will only grow in its own time. Some things should never be either rushed or forced," he told her as he wrapped his arms protectively around her.

Misao's arms slipped gently about his waist. She leaned against the broad chest, delighting in the fact that she _could_ hold him. "Hai," she whispered happily in agreement.

Saito was right. Did she not know this from experience? It was better to leave it in fate's hands and enjoy what she had at the moment.

The cop's voice broke into her thoughts. "One more thing Itachi. You calling me by my last name does not sound right anymore. That is what a stranger would call me. We are most certainly not strangers. From now on call me 'Hajime'."

"You're still calling me 'Itachi'," she countered playfully.

"That's an affectionate," he whispered, bending toward her so that his lips almost brushed hers.

"Alright. If that's what you truly want...Hajime."

Nothing else was said as the Wolf claimed her lips.

*************************

  


The gray morning mist still enshrouded the Takagi estate when four-year-old Tsutomu slipped outside to play. He made a game of trying to keep the little red and white ball his otousan had bought him from hitting the ground. Suddenly a hoarse laugh drew his attention to the open gate.

Two evil-looking men were standing there. Tsutomu did not like the way they were watching him with nasty grins on their faces, but he was too scared to run away. He felt paralyzed as the larger man started toward him. It was not until the stranger began to reach for him that his voice returned and he could scream.

  


**************************

Misao awoke to the sound of gruff laughter. "Did you plan to wake up sometime this morning or are we going to lie here like this all day?"

Blushing furiously, Misao pulled away from her human pillow with an apologetic smile and sat up. She stretched her muscles lazily as she wondered what all her friends would think if they knew she had just spent the night in Saito's futon.

_Granted_ it was not like anything happened. They were both still fully clothed and respectable. She only ended up sleeping there by accident. Apparently she had drifted off while they were conversing about their first brief meeting in that little village Shishio had taken over. Instead of waking her up, Saito had merely bundled her into the futon beside him.

Climbing to her feet, she headed for the door. "Breakfast will be ready in a bit," she promised over her shoulder.

It was a rather small meal. The cop was anxious for her to find out what she could about that inn. Honestly she was more than a little curious herself.

The Wolf insisted on coming to the table to eat. As long as he did not push himself, he appeared to be well on the way to mending. While they ate he told her about some of the funnier incidents he had been involved in since joining the police. The ninja thought she would never stop laughing when he told her about the thief that had been brought in the month before. When caught red-handed in the house of a local merchant, the man claimed evil oni had kidnaped him and transported him there.

"And he really expected you to buy that? Anou, what did you say?"

"I told him that was quite impossible because _I_ had chased all the _other_ oni out of the city years ago."

Another giggle burst from her as Misao shook her head. Finished with her meal, she picked up her dishes and carried them to the kitchen. Saito followed with his own. His face was serious as they set their bowls on the counter.

"Be careful out there Itachi," he said softly, pulling her to him and kissing her lightly on the top of her head.

She hugged him back briefly before heading for the shouji that led into the alley. "Don't worry about me. How dangerous could asking a few questions be? I'll be back in a while," she said as she slid it open and stepped outside.

The cop sighed as the door closed, shutting her off from view. He still hated having to entrust everything to her, but now in was no longer a matter of injured pride. He truly feared what might happen to the genki young woman if his enemies learned she was helping him.

_Ahou, stop fretting. Misao is a smart girl and she's been well-trained. Nothing bad can occur on such a simple job. So long as she keeps her promise and steers clear of those killers, there's no way they can even know of her existence, much less harm her._

So why could he not shake the feeling that something was very wrong?

***************************

  


Misao moved swiftly through the near deserted streets. Only occasionally did she pass another person going about their business. She was merely a street over from the Onbin-yoru when a shrill cry reached her ears.

_That sounds like someone in trouble,_ she thought as she automatically turned and headed in the direction the shriek had come from. Making her way down a small alley, she heard two familiar voices speaking from around the next corner. Ducking behind some barrels, she listened intently as the figures approached.

"Shimatta, keep the gaki under control, Jouta! We don't want him bringing the police down on us," one of the large brutes she had seen at the Miyazaki estate was saying.

"I'm trying! He keeps biting me!" the younger brother whined pitifully.

"Tear some cloth from his gi and gag him then, baka!"

There was a ripping sound and a strangled sob as the younger man followed his brother's instructions. "Che! What does the boss want with the little gaki anyway, Ayuta-niisan?"

"Supposedly this is that cop's wappa. My guess is he's going to be bait."

_The cop's wappa? Do they mean Hajime's son?! Iie! I have to do something! _Misao thought. She crept forward and peeked out into the street. The two thugs were standing only a few feet away and a little boy who looked uncannily like the Wolf was crouched at their feet with tears in his eyes. The ninja smiled at the teeth marks all over Jouta's arms. No doubt about it. The kid was a fighter just like his father.

Pulling out some kunai, Misao prepared to spring into action. Sprinting around the corner with a fierce battle cry, she flung the throwing knives at Jouta. The man yelped in pain as they found their mark. However, the ninja had already launched herself at Ayuta. Her foot connected with the side of the thug's head with sufficient force to drop him instantly.

Jouta spun about wildly to face her, but Misao was quicker. She turned and planted her fist in his face. The punch had ample power to break his nose and stun him. She finished him off with a solid roundhouse kick that sprawled him out next to his older brother. Without missing a beat, the young woman grabbed the terrified little boy and took off down the street. By the time the two brutes had regained their senses enough to even think of giving chase she was long gone.

  
  


***************************

  


It was a long while before Misao felt adequately safe to stop and remove the gag from the child's mouth. The boy gazed at her fearfully with the same strange amber eyes his father had.

"It's ok, Tsutomu. That is your name? You're otousan is Fujita Goro, ne?" she asked, figuring that would be the name Hajime used around him.

The child's eyes lit up with excitement. "You know Otousan?!"

The ninja smiled. "Hai. We're...friends. Would you like to see him?"

"Hai! Hai! Onegai!" the little boy answered with a grin. Trustingly, he took Misao's hand and walked the rest of the way to the Aoiya.

They had barely entered the room when the Wolf came to investigate. "Misao, is something wrong? You're back awfully quick," he observed in a concerned tone. All at once a look of disbelief came over him as he noticed the little boy standing beside her. "Tsutomu?!"

"Otousan!" the child cried out joyfully, rushing over to the cop and hugging his leg.

"Misao? Why is my son here? What the hell is going on?" Saito asked the ninja in bewilderment.

"Those yarous were trying to kidnap him. I was on my way to the inn when I heard a scream and decided to check it out. It was the same two thugs I had seen at that mansion and they had your son with them. One of the guys said something about him being the bait to catch you, but as you can see, I took care of the situation."

"You're not hurt? Did anyone follow you?"

"Iie, we're both fine and those two couldn't catch a cold in winter. There's no way they tracked us here."

With a curt nod the Wolf dropped down on one knee and began to inspect his son for hidden injuries. And angry scowl crossed his face as he discovered a few bruises starting to form, but no serious harm had been done. Gratefully he embraced the little boy, shaking with the silent wrath only a parent can experience. There was a menacing light burning in his amber eyes that would have put the fires of hell to shame.

Finally he released the child and stood. He ruffled the boy's hair affectionately. "Tsutomu, I need you to stay here with Itachi for a little while, alright? I have something to take care of."

Misao could not fail to hear the threat in those words. She groaned as the tall, lean man turned and headed down the hall. She already knew his intentions. Rushing after him, she grabbed his arm and made him turn around to face her glare.

"Don't even think about it, Hajime! You're just playing right into their hands if you do this. I know you're beyond furious right now and I don't blame you, but it doesn't help anything for you to go running off and give them exactly what they want. They know you're injured and they want to use it against you. Don't let them win that way. The important thing is that they didn't get a chance to hurt Tsutomu. If we keep our heads and stay one step ahead of them, we'll be able to shut this bunch down for good long before they ever have the opportunity to try something like this again."

The Wolf growled impatiently, running a hand through his hair. He hated it when the Itachi's reasoning was clearer than his own. Things were supposed to be the other way around. He was used to being the one who remained calm and in control. Unfortunately the events of the past few days were far more personal than what he normally dealt with. Too many people he cared about were becoming involved.

"I'm not going to just sit here and wait while these ahous plot against me anymore, Itachi. Who knows what they'll do next? It's time for me to finish this."

"And what if it finishes you instead, Hajime? What will happen to Tsutomu then? Who will protect him? That's why I can't let you go into this fight when it's possible you won't come out alive! You have to survive this for Tsutomu! You have to survive this for...us," the young ninja pleaded with tears in her eyes.

Saito groaned. Why did she have to go and play that angle? "Hn. It's no wonder I'm beginning to fall for you. You really know how to manipulate people, don't you Itachi?" he asked, raising a eyebrow. A wry smirk had appeared on his face.

Misao grinned back. "Of course! I'm taking lessons from the master!"

He gave a small chuckle as a small hand reached up and tugged on the sleeve of his yukata. "Otousan, are you staying now?"

"Hai, Tsutomu. I'm staying. Let's go in the other room and you can tell me what you've been up to these past few days," he replied as he took his son's hand in his own.

Relieved, Misao turned and started to walk away. "Now that everything is settled I'll go get that information you needed. Be back in a... Itai!" she cried out as Saito snagged her braid and jerked her to a stop. She spun about and glared at the cop. "Why you?! What did you go and do _that_ for you baka Wolf?!" she demanded indignantly.

"What you have obviously overlooked, Itachi, is that my enemies are now aware of you. I assume you ambushed those two men, so it's probable they didn't get a good look at you. However, your appearance is distinct enough that if they were to see you on the street again this soon, they would recognize you. You should wait a day or so before slipping out again and give them a chance to forget a few details. Also, my advice would be to wear different clothing altogether. They'll be looking for a young woman in ninja garb, not a lady in a kimono."

Now it was Misao's turn to sigh in exasperation. "I didn't think about that. I guess you're right. I'll go tomorrow then."

As the three of them wandered down the hall to Saito's room, she turned her attention back to the little boy. "Tsutomu, would you like some chocolate?" she offered.

The Wolf smiled as his son eagerly accepted the offered treat. He was blissfully unaware of the horrors mixing children and chocolate could cause.

*************************

  


The Kobayashi brothers shifted nervously under the stern eye of their boss. Behind him Ito and Miyazaki watched with stoic expressions.

"Exactly what happened out there?" Otomo demanded in a dangerously low tone.

"We were ambushed. It was a ninja, boss! There was nothing we could do!" Ayuta explained anxiously.

The one-eyed man gripped the front of his gi and slammed him against the wall. "I do _not_ except excuses! I pay you good money to deliver results! Ahous!"

Ito stepped forward and gave them both a stern look. "What else haven't you told us yet?"

The two brothers exchanged a glance. They really did not want to say anything else for fear they would lose vital organs.

"Answer him!" their boss bellowed, leaving no doubt in their minds that organ removal was a dead certainty if they did not comply.

"The...ninja, boss..."

"What about him?"

"He....was a she."

Otomo let go of his subordinate, allowing the terrified man to slump to the floor. Both he and Ito stared at them dumbfounded for a moment. Eventually, the one-eyed man was able to form coherent words. "Get out!"

The brothers wasted no time in following his command. Jouta jerked his older sibling up off the floor and they fled the study.

Their boss glared at the cop as soon as they were gone. "So much for your theory that no one was helping Saito! I told you it didn't make sense for him to be able to disappear that completely!" he spat.

"A slight miscalculation. It's just one girl. How much of a threat can she possibly be? At least now we have some idea of how to go about finding him. We just have to determine the identity of this mystery woman. It's only a matter of time," Ito replied, a smug smile on his face.

Miyazaki ignored his companions and turned to stare out the window. Hai, it was only a matter of time. Those ahous had served one useful purpose at any rate. They had exposed Saito's weakness. One he fully intended to exploit.

~TBC ~

  
  
  
  



	17. The Evils of Chocolate

To Hazard a Guest

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note - Thoughts are in italics.

******************************************************************************

Chapter 17. The Evils of Chocolate

What a father says to his children is not heard by the world; but it will be heard by posterity.

-Jean Paul Richter

  


Saito groaned as Tsutomu raced by yet _again_, giggling madly. Misao was in close pursuit, trying desperately to maintain control over the hyper four-year-old. To the girl's credit she had not lost her temper once. Her genuine concern was for his son's safety rather than what might be damaged or destroyed by his wild rampage through the Aoiya.

It had been like this all day and the Wolf was at a lose to explain Tsutomu's behavior. Generally he was so well-mannered and mindful of adults. Today however even the sternest commands directed at the child did little to phase him. Still recuperating from his injuries, the boy's antics soon wore him out and he eventually left things in Misao's hands while he took a break.

At the very first he had put it all off to the excitement of the morning'sevents. But as the hours stretched by and Tsutomu only grew more rambunctious, he became increasingly certain that something else was to blame for the abnormal conduct. He just wished he knew what that _something_ might be. Absently he watched his son and the Itachi while considering the possibilities.

Misao had paused a moment to catch her breath. She leaned forward with her hands on her knees as she gasped for air. The little boy ran circles around her, waiting for the chase to resume. Finally giving up on his new playmate, he rushed over to Saito and began to tug on his arm. "Get up, Otousan! It's time to play!"

"Tsutomu, Otousan is resting. Don't you think it's time to calm down and start behaving like a proper young man now?" the cop questioned him with a stoic expression.

The child pouted and hung his head. "Alright," he agreed in a the most pathetic tone he could muster. Suddenly he noticed the ninja had gotten her second wind and forgot all about listening to his father. "Misao-dono, try to catch me!" he squealed, sprinting away once more.

"I'm going to get you this time!" the Itachi laughed as she followed. Another loud shriek of laughter rang out as the game was recommenced. 

Wincing at the sound, Saito rubbed his temple to relieve the headache he sensed building. _Great. All I need is more pain,_ the cop thought ruefully. His wounded side was still complaining about how Tsutomu had unexpectedly pounced on him earlier.

Tired of all his activities being confined to such a small space, the boy bolted out the door and down the hall. Anxiously Misao took off after him to keep watch. Within seconds the loud crash of pots and pans in the restaurant's kitchen reached him. The Wolf sighed heavily in annoyance and wondered what the boy had done _now._

_Shimatta, what has gotten into that child?!_ He was acting just fine when Misao first brought him in. It was not until she had given him some chocolate and they were sitting around talking that Tsutomu began to fidget.

All at once it hit him. The chocolate. Itachi had given his son some of that foreign confection and shortly after the boy went berserk. Obviously, the stuff had an adverse effect on children. To make matters worse, the ninja had given him even more pieces to distract him from his more chaotic adventures, unknowingly adding fuel to an already blazing fire!

The cop was musing over why it had not seemed to bother him or Misao when yet another realization struck. Both he and the Itachi had been eating chocolate at the time of their little incident. Something was definitely wrong with that so-called treat. It made people lose their inhibitions in the same manner sake did, only without the useful warning signs drink possessed. On that account it was far more insidious than any alcohol.

Saito determined right then that neither he or Tsutomu would ever again be exposed to foreign influences. He should have known better after his experience with cigarettes. That Western luxury had all too quickly become a habit he could not break. He did not want this chocolate turning into a similar problem.

Just then Misao came to the door and stood there with her hands on her hips. "You know, you could get off your tail and help me, Hajime. You've pestered me enough to know you're not _that_ hurt anymore. He is _your_ son," she growled at him with a fierce glare.

Saito smirked back. "And it's your fault he's acting this way, Itachi," he informed the young woman.

"And how exactly did you come to that conclusion?"

"Simple. You gave him that evil foreign confection. That chocolate."

"That's nonsense! Where did you ever get an idea like that in your head?!"

"Tsutomu was just fine until he had a few pieces of chocolate. Is that not so? But if you need more proof, then consider what we were eating when we had our little moment."

"'Our little moment'? Nani?! So _now_ you're trying to blame your feelings on chocolate?! Why you baka Wolf!" The ninja began to grow rather red in the face as her hands balled into fist. An attack of some sort seemed imminent and he hurriedly made an effort to placate her.

"Iie, that's not what I meant! I'm merely pointing out that I at least am not generally apt to act on my emotions. That chocolate is what influenced me to do so, I'm certain. And now it's making my normally well-behaved son act like a little madman."

"Anou, I guess you could be right. Che! They should warn people before they go selling something like that!" Misao gave him a slightly disdainful look. "I'm still not sure what to think about you blaming our 'moment' on chocolate, Hajime. That makes it sound like it wasn't real."

Climbing slowly to his feet, Saito crossed the room to stand before her. He raised a hand to caress the softness of her check. "Then allow me to show you how I feel when I'm not under its influence," he whispered in a low, seductive tone.

He leaned toward her and their lips were almost touching when a small gasp interrupted them. Glancing around they saw Tsutomu standing right beside them with a startled expression on his face. "Otousan? Is something wrong with Misao-dono's face?!" he asked in concern.

Misao could not stop herself from laughing at the look in Saito's eye. It was a strange mixture of surprise, annoyance, and embarrassment at being caught in the act.

"I think I'll just leave you alone with you son for a while. It would seem you have some explaining to do," she told him airily before strolling from the room. She paused only to give Tsutomu an affectionate pat on the head as she passed by.

The Wolf watched in frustration as she abandoned him. With a sound that was somewhere between a sigh and a groan, he turned his amber gaze to meet his son's confused, inquisitive stare. Explaining _this_ was _not_ going to be easy.

~TBC ~


	18. A Witness for the Defense

To Hazard a Guest

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note - Thoughts are in italics.

******************************************************************************

Chapter 18. A Witness for the Defense.

Truth is always the strongest argument.

-Sophocles

  


Misao stared out at the steadily falling rain and sighed. She had hoped to be able to set out first thing this morning, but it seemed she would have to wait a while. Glancing back into the room, she smile at the sight which greeted her.

Saito was still lost in sleep with Tsutomu snuggled as close to him as the little boy could get. The child had become quite grumpy before finally drifting off the night before. Exhausted by his antics, she and the Wolf soon turned in as well. Though she awoke feeling refreshed and perky, her two companions were apparently content to slumber the day away.

Perhaps the cop could sense her lingering gaze because he suddenly opened his eyes and smirked at her. "Why are you watching us like that, Itachi? Jealous?"

"Maybe just a little," she answered with a light laugh. Staring out at the soggy courtyard again, she let out another sigh. "I doubt this will let up before sometime this afternoon. I guess I'll have to wait till then to leave."

Careful not to wake his son, Saito picked himself up and joined her by the open shouji. Folding his arms across his chest, he scowled out at the sky as if he could intimidate the rain into stopping. "This isn't good. Ever since your encounter with those two thugs, I've had the nagging concern that we won't be safe here much longer."

"Nani? You really think they'll be able to track you to the Aoiya because of that?"

"Maybe, if given enough time."

They were both silent for a while. Eventually Misao peeked up at him out of the corner of her eye. "So what did you tell Tsutomu about us?"

"I said you had something in your eye and wanted me to get it out for you."

"Nani?! You mean you lied your way out of telling him about us?! And he believed you?!"

The Wolf smirked at her with a raised eyebrow. "What did you want? He's only four. Of course he'll believe whatever I say. And as far as telling him about us, how can I explain it to him when we still have questions ourselves? The most he needs to know - the most he can probably understand - is that you're someone I trust and care for."

After thinking about it for a moment, Misao nodded with a slight smile. Just then a small sound drew their attention back to the futon where Tsutomu lay. The little boy sat up and rubbed his eye before looking at the two expectantly. "I'm hungry," he announced.

"I guess I'd better start breakfast then. It won't be long," the ninja promised him as she left the room.

They ate a short time later, then settled down to wait out the bad weather. Misao found an old ball of her's and tossed it back and forth with Tsutomu. Saito spent his time reading a book he had borrowed from Aoshi's collection.

After a while, the child grew bored with the game and begged his father for a story. The Wolf obliged and he held Misao and Tsutomu entranced as he told them the tale of the Forty-seven Ronin. Both their eyes went wide as he told them how all the samurai were required to commit seppuku when their vengeance was done.

"Do you have to describe their deaths in such gory detail?" the ninja muttered when she finally recovered.

"I'm simply stating the facts."

"So am I. You're disturbed."

Any impending argument was warded off as Tsutomu began to yawn. Misao picked him up and carried him over to the futon. The second she laid him down, he curled up for a nice, long nap.

"Anou, I guess now I should put some clean bandages on your injuries. You probably want to wash up and change clothes as well. I'll heat some water for you."

The cop nodded his approval and she set off to complete her self-assigned tasks. Saito's feelings were mixed as he watched her leave the room. His first and strongest instinct toward the little Itachi was to hold her close and secure. However, there was a small part of him that foolishly felt guilty for caring about another woman so soon after his wife's death.

He had to smirk at himself, knowing Tokio would be furious if he messed things up between him and Misao over her. They had made a promise early on in their marriage that if anything ever happened to one of them, the other would not spend the rest of their life alone. The only problem was that he had made the agreement in the assumption that, with all the hazards of his job, _he_ would likely be the one to go before _her._ Despite knowing that she wanted him to find happiness again, it was difficult not to think of another relationship as a betrayal of her memory.

Unfortunately that was not the primary burden his conscience bore. Through no fault of his, he had already lost one wife to an act of random violence. All his precautions to guard against potential enemies had not been sufficient to defend her from a lowly thief.

While she had a strong spirit nad most certainly did not just give in during the fatal confrontation, Tokio was no fighter and that made her easy prey. Misao was another story altogether. Had she encountered the coward, it was he who would have found himself in danger. Yet even she had her weak points and no one could be protected from the world entirely. Especially not someone who insisted on rushing blindly into danger. And having a vulnerable partner in turn rendered him vulnerable.

In the end a lover was just a weakness. At best they were a distraction that kept one from focusing completely on the fight at hand. At worst they were a point of attack for timorous foes who were unwilling to face their opponents openly. The only thing which had kept Tokio's fragility from becoming an annoyance was her willingness to comply with his wishes. He never had to worry about her deliberately placing herself in harm's way. Misao, again, was a different type of person and would never allow him to leave her behind no matter what the risks. With the sort of enemies he had made over the years, was he willing to chance pursuing a relationship with a partner who would always be a liability?

Saito sighed as he pulled out and lit a cigarette. This decision had to be considered carefully with only his own judgement to rely on. He could never discuss the situation rationally with Misao. The ninja was caught up in the delusion she could be "useful" to him. Suggesting otherwise would merely result in an unconstructive tantrum on her part. Really, there was nothing more irritating than weak people who refused to acknowledge they were weak.

_Then again, the girl did take on Kamatari of the Juppon Gatana. That was no mean feat._ She had not done too bad so far on this case either. If not for her, those yarous would have his son at their mercy now. _It's entirely possible that Okita was right all those years ago when he scolded me for judging others unfairly,_ he thought with a smirk.

Exactly who was he trying to fool anyway? Deny it all he wanted, he was already in a relationship with Misao. By the time he had took notice of what was going on between them, she had already wormed her way deep into his soul. He needed her now almost the way he needed to breathe. The only things keeping him in check were his injuries and their current lack of privacy.

He did not have time to consider the matter any further as Misao returned with a washbasin and a pitcher of warm water. Setting these down before him, she quickly retrieved some bath linens, soap, and fresh bandages for his wounds. Clean garments, including a dark green yukata, were also rounded up from somewhere.

Saito could very much be described as a worldly man. In his younger years he had on occasion visited Shimabara with the other Shinsengumi captains. And after his marriage, Tokio had often tended to him when he bathed and dressed. So it was probably the fact that he had grown accustomed to the presence of women when he was less than decent that explained what happened next.

Without even thinking the Wolf stripped down to his fundoshi in front of the startled ninja. The girl gave a little squeak, causing him to look up in confusion. He frowned when he saw her wide-eyed and blushing furiously. "Is something the matter, Itachi?"

"You... You...," she seemed unable to put her thoughts into words.

"Gomen, but I don't see what you're upset about," he said in genuine bewilderment, wondering what had gotten into her all of a sudden.

All at once Misao found her tongue again. "You big hentai!" she screamed at him.

It was only then that he realized the young woman had most likely never seen a man in his current state of dress before. Instead of being mortified at his inadvertent slip, he chuckled lightly at her discomfort. " I thought you wanted a relationship with me, Itachi. How are you ever going to be a man's wife if you're too shy to see him in his fundoshi?" he teased her.

Figuring she would leave the room, he grabbed the pitcher and poured some water into the bowl. He was reaching for a cloth when a slender hand reached out and grabbed his.

"Here, let me," her voice whispered silkily into his ear.

The offer was entirely too tempting and the cop sat quietly while the girl lathered up a cloth. Neither of them spoke as she began to wash the grime and sweat from his lean body. He had to suppress a groan or two of pleasure as he reveled in her gentle touch. The exquisite torture was over all too soon in his opinion.

The feel of his muscular form under her hands already had Misao quivering. As she changed the dressings on his injuries, she noticed how nice he smelled now. It was more than she could bear. Temptation got the better of her and, leaning forward, she planted a little kiss on his neck.

Immediately she found herself wrapped in his embrace. His lips hungrily sought her own and she allowed his seeking tongue in with barely any prodding at all. Her mind swam with delight as he thoroughly explored her mouth.

At last he reluctantly withdrew from her. "As pleasurable as this is, now is hardly the appropriate time to indulge in such an activity," he said in an amused tone. "If I detain you any longer you won't be back before dark."

Misao gave him a blank look, her thoughts still elsewhere. "What are you talking about? Where am I going?"

"To the Onbin-yoru, remember? The rain stopped some time ago and you're not even ready to leave."

"Che! Why didn't you point that out earlier?!" Leaping up, the ninja race from the room to change.

While she was gone, the Wolf quickly put on the garments she had provided. It felt good to be clean and wearing fresh clothes again.

After a short wait Misao returned wearing a pink kimono and yellow obi. Around the ends of the sleeves and along the robe's hem were blue flowers with yellow butterflies. Her long, dark hair was freed from its usual braid and pinned up in a more formal fashion. The change these few simple alterations wrought was astonishing. Instead of the genki little ninja he was accustomed to seeing, Saito found himself staring at a lovely young lady.

Immediately the Wolf snarled in aggravation. "Do you have to go out looking like that?!"

The girl, who was already unhappy wearing the restrictive garment, glared daggers at him. "What's wrong with the way I look?" she questioned in a low, dangerous voice.

The cop gave an exasperated sigh. "You're going to attract too much attention. I don't want people staring at you. Someone from Ito's group might take notice and recognize you," he muttered. "You could have wore something plainer."

Misao was torn between being furious and perplexed. He was the one who had _told_ her to dress up! Why was he suddenly acting like...? It hit her all at once what was truly going on. The ninja had to suppress a grin. Saito was not worried about his enemies spotting her. He was worried that _any_ man might notice her. Omasu had once told her a little jealousy could be good for a relationship every now and then. Perhaps she should let him brood on it for a while.

"Anou, you really should have been more specific when you told me not to wear my regular clothes. I don't have time to go change again, walk all the way to the inn, question twenty or more people, then make it all the way back to the Aoiya before dark. Surely you don't want a young girl like me wandering the streets alone at night?"

"Hn. Have it your own way then, Itachi. Don't say I didn't warn you." The scowl that had come over his face looked suspiciously like its sole purpose was to stop him from pouting.

"Alright, I'll be back before you know it! Ja ne!" she called as she turned to leave the room. Just as she went to step out the door, a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She looked up at the Wolf, wondering what was wrong this time.

"Misao, be careful out there. It would be a real nuisance if I had to come save you." Though he spoke with his usual cold, sardonic tone and arrogant smirk, there was a glimmer of genuine concern in his amber eyes.

She flashed him a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine." And then she pulled away and vanished from view down the hallway. In just a few seconds he heard an outside door open and close, telling him she was gone.

"Otousan?"

Saito glanced toward the futon where Tsutomu's worried little face was peering back at him. "Will Misao-dono be okay?"

He grunted softly. _Just how long has he been awake?_ "Hai. Itachi is just going to speak with some people for me and then she'll come right back. I just told her to be careful so bad people wouldn't hurt her."

"Like they hurt Okaasan?"

For a moment Saito forgot how to breathe and both his eyebrows shot up in utter shock. _Shimatta! How the hell did he find out about that?!_ It never ceased to amaze him how perceptive children could be. Recovering himself, he gave the boy as soothing an answer as possible. "Hai, musuko. I don't want bad people to hurt her the way they did Okaasan. But don't worry about Itachi. She can take care of herself." _I hope,_ he added silently.

"Oh. Otousan? Why do you call Misao-dono 'Itachi'?"

The Wolf groaned softly. _Why do kids always have to be so full of questions?_ For just a minute he suspected he knew how his prisoners felt when they were interrogated. 

**************************

Misao finally made it to the street the Onbin-yoru was on. She paused a moment to catch her breath. _Why do kimonos have to be so uncomfortable?! I don't know how Kaoru-san used to run around and fight in these things!_

When sufficiently rested, she walked down the road to the inn. As expected it was all closed up and the front gate was securely locked. A shame, but she had not truly expected to find someone hanging around the place who could answer her questions. And going inside to search for clues was pointless, since Ito would have removed any incriminating evidence.

_Better to go with my first idea and speak to the neighbors. They should be able to tell me what I need to know about the place. One of them might have even seen something useful._

It seemed like a good plan anyway. The ninja soon discovered that no one was willing to say more than two words to her once they knew what she wanted. Usually those two words were "get lost". The instant the Onbin-yoru was mentioned, smiling shopkeepers became ill-tempered oni and she was ordered out of store after store. Of course, one look into their eyes told Misao the whole story. It was just as Saito had feared: Ito and his friends had intimidated them all into silence.

In less than an hour she had made her way around the entire area surrounding the inn without finding one person who would talk to her. Frustrated, she decided to take a break. Spotting a confectionary near-by, she set off in search of a treat.

The sight which greeted her inside the shop's interior made Misao's mouth water. Every sweet imaginable seemed to be offered. Unable to make up her mind, she decided to buy a small variety and take a few home to Saito and Tsutomu.

Strangely, the owner of the store was no where in sight. Figuring the shopkeeper was in the backroom, she walked over to the door to alert the person they had a customer. As she approached however, she heard several voices in deep discussion which caused her to pause just outside the room.

"Gomen Ojiisan, but there's really nothing more we can do."

"He's right. As long as the police are covering for those criminals we can't expect to get any justice."

"But there must be something we can do! Can we really just allow a friend and neighbor's murder to go unpunished? There must be someone else we can talk to!" said a clear, determined male voice.

"Forget it, Ojiisan. We've already tried to go around that yarou Ito. The other cops are just as corrupt as him! And you heard what he said! The next time he heard we were 'causing trouble' he wouldn't be the one to come chat with us. They'll send those murderous thugs for us, like they did to Koeda-san!"

"Then we go even higher. Surely there's someone in the government who would listen to us?"

"We're not willing to take the chance with our families' safety. Gomen nasai, but you're on your own Ojiisan."

With that the little group exited out the rear door of the shop, leaving the owner alone. The ninja glanced him over. He was a short, hefty fellow about Jiya's age. His grey hair was tied in a loose ponytail and he wore a faded brown kimono. His face held an expression of deep sadness and guilt. Unexpectedly he jerked his head up to glare at her. "Oi! What do you want?"

"Sumimasen, Ojiisan," Misao said quickly, stepping out into the open and giving him a polite bow. "I did not mean to eavesdrop, but it seems you and I are having some trouble with the same person. Perhaps we could help each other to bring down Ito and his friends?"

"And why should I trust anything you have to say? How do you know Ito and what could you possibly do to aid me?"

"Onegai, I really need your help. Ito has framed someone I care about for murder. Unless I can prove his innocence, he'll die. Just like your friend, Koeda-san. As for what I can do, you're having a problem finding anyone to listen to you who isn't connected with that rotten cop, correct? I have friends who know men higher up in the police department than him. Men who aren't corrupt and will hear what you have to say against Ito." 

"Naruhodo," the old man gave her a skeptical look. "What is your name?"

"Makimachi Misao."

For a long moment he seemed to be debating with himself. Finally he nodded as he came to a decision. "Alright Makimachi-san. Perhaps we can help each other. My name is Muranaka Kiyoshi. I don't know if what I have to say can save your friend or not, but I'm willing to try."

"Arigatou gozaimasu, Muranaka-san. What you can tell me will help a great deal."

"Anou, I don't know if you've heard anything of what went on at the Onbin-yoru?"

"Hai, the owner was murdered. The official report claims robbery was the motive."

"They lie. Koeda-san was murdered to keep him quiet about what went on in there. He had mentioned to me that morning he was a bit nervous about some new arrivals. It was the first thing I thought about when I heard the gunfire later in the day. I immediately rushed to the door and looked out toward the inn. 

"If you glance outside, you'll see my store is directly across from an alley that runs beside the Onbin-yoru. There is a small side-door there and as I was watching a tall man in a policeman's uniform came running out. It looked to me like he had been injured, but before I could call out to him, he had took off running in the opposite direction. Just a few seconds later those customers Koeda-san had been worried about came pouring out and chased after him. I realized then I might be witnessing a murder.

"Those people continued to hang around the inn for quite some time afterwards. At one point I saw a well-dressed individual leave the place under heavy guard, but I have no idea who he was or how he's involved. Eventually, they all left and that's when Ito arrived.

"Many of the neighbors came out then to report the gunshots. Several people mentioned seeing the other officer being chased from the scene. And do you know what he said? We were mistaken. The man we had seen fleeing was most likely part of the same group! The cop was completely disregarding everything we had to say! It seemed to us then that it didn't matter to him in the least that a fellow policeman might have just been killed. 

"As angry as we were, we thought perhaps he was only being pretentious. We were sure that once the police had seen the bullet holes and realized one of their own was missing, our words would be take more seriously. But no one ever returned to question us. Instead, they put out that false story about a robbery.

"Of course we were outraged. So a group of us went down to the police station to make a formal complaint. Unfortunately, everyone was in an uproar over that politician's murder and we couldn't get anyone to speak with us for a while. We finally got some young cop to hear us out and he promised someone would be in touch. But it was Ito who contacted us. He told us to forget about what we thought we had seen and hinted that bad things might happen to us otherwise. And as you saw for yourself, the others are now too afraid to speak out anymore. Unless you can get someone higher up to listen, Koeda-san's and the other policeman's murderers will never be brought to justice."

"The policeman you saw being chased is still alive," Misao informed the elderly man.

"Nani?!"

"He managed to get away from those thugs, but not without being seriously wounded. Now Ito and another cop, probably the man you talked to, have framed him for the murder of that politician. And since what happened at the inn was covered up, he can't prove his alibi. That's why I came here today. If you're willing to testify when the time comes, I think we stand an excellent chance of making them see Ito's been lying all along. It will prove my friend's innocence and Koeda-san's murder won't go unpunished. So, are you still willing to try?"

The old man nodded solemnly. "For Koeda-san's sake, hai. I'll testify."

"You don't know how much this means to me, Muranaka-san! I'll contact you when we're ready. Oh, there's one other thing I need to ask you. It may seem a bit odd, but its very important. Do you know anything about the history fo the Onbin-yoru? Has anything like this ever happened there before?"

"Gomen nasai, Makimachi-san. I'm afraid I've only lived here in Kyoto about a year now. I've never heard any rumors about the place. I do know Koeda-san had only owned the inn for the past three years. Before he bought it, the place was called the Shirokiku. Apparently it was named for the former owner's favorite flowers. I'm sorry I can't be of more help."

"That's fine. It just might be enough. Arigatou gozaimasu again, Muranaka-san! I guess the only thing left is for me to buy those sweets I came after and I'll be on my way," the ninja said with a bright smile.

The old shopkeeper cheerfully filled her order and added quite a bit more besides. When Misao tried to pay him, Muranaka refused. After much convincing, the young woman left the shop with her present.

"I'll be in touch soon! Ja ne!" she called back to him from the door with a wave. Then she hurried back to the Aoiya as fast as the horrid kimono would allow.

***********************

Misao had barely stepped through the door when she was assaulted by an anxious Tsutomu. The child hugged her around the legs tightly. "Misao-dono! You're back!"

With a small laugh she knelt down to his level and returned the embrace. "Glad to see you too, Tsutomu. Would you like a treat?"

The child nodded eagerly. She pulled out one of the pastries and gave it to him. Laughter rippled from her again as the boy practically shoved the whole thing into his mouth.

"Hn. Leave it to a woman to go shopping on a mission."

The ninja glanced up to see Saito standing over them with his arms folded across his chest. "Gomen nasai! I guess not everyone can be as professional and grouchy...oops!...I mean dedicated as yourself. I will try to do better in the future," she teased with false humility.

The Wolf scowled at her attempted humor. "Did you find out anything or not Itachi? Or should I have done the job myself?"

"Hai, actually I've found a witness. The owner of the confectionary, Muranaka-san, heard the gunfire and saw you being chased by those men. He and some of the other neighbors have tried to get someone to hear them out, but Ito has blocked their efforts and threatened them. Now he's the only one left who is willing to talk."

The cop raised an eyebrow at this news. "You found someone who saw what happened and is willing to testify? How can you be sure this isn't a trap of some sort?"

"I'm positive it's not. I'm afraid you'll just have to trust me on this one."

"Hn. We'll see how this turns out, then I'll decide wether I trust your judgement or not. And what about the Onbin-yoru?"

"Unfortunately, that proved to be the more difficult task. No one wanted to discuss the inn at all except Muranaka-san and he's not been in Kyoto very long. He did know that the place changed ownership three years ago. Before that it was called the Shirokiku.

"The Shirokiku?" Something about the name clawed at the back of his mind. However, the details of his first visit remained infuriatingly out of reach.

Frustrated, the cop mumbled a thanks and walked back to his room. He sat down by the back shouji to ponder the mystery for a while. The Shirokiku. So the inn had once took its name from white chrysanthemums. For a brief moment, a dim memory broke the surface of his thoughts. He recalled that the gates had once been bordered by the flower for which the inn was named. Then everything receded from his grasp once more.

_Shimatta! I know that name! What was I involved in? Maybe I'm not thinking far enough back?_ The Shirokiku. The name echoed ominously in his mind again. Why did it affect him so? What was it about the place that had made him so uneasy?

Once more the recollection of the flowers growing by the gates came to him. But this time he hardly noticed them or anything else so trivial. His mind was entirely focused on his mission...

"Itai!" The memory was lost as a sharp pain snapped him back to reality.

Tsutomu, who had been trying to crawl into his lap, leapt back with tears in his eyes. "Gomen Otousan!"

Saito sighed, resigned to the fact that his problems would have to wait. "It's alright, musuko. Come here."

The boy obeyed immediately. The Wolf gently positioned him on his lap where he could not accidently press against the wounds. Once settled, the child began an animated conversation about the treats Misao had brought them and all else was temporarily forgotten.

************************

It was late evening when a tall man with short, dark hair and a white overcoat boarded the train bound for Kyoto. His ice blue eyes swept over the other passengers out of habit, searching for hidden dangers. Finding nothing to concern him, he took his seat and stared out the window into the darkness.

He had been away and without contact with anyone for so long. He wondered how everyone at the Aoiya was doing. Especially the genki young woman with the enchanting blue eyes.

Shinomori Aoshi sighed heavily. It had been sheer hell to leave Misao behind and in the end it proved to be pointless. The only thing he had "discovered" about himself was just how deeply he cared for the younger ninja. 

Then again, perhaps his trip had been a success after all. He now knew beyond all doubt that he was the man who loved Makimachi Misao. And that was all he needed to be.

With an ear-shattering blast of its whistle, the train began to pull out of the station. It would only be a short while now. Sometime the next night he would be in Kyoto again. The ghost of a smile played across his lips for just a few seconds.

"...and they still haven't captured him! Can you believe it? How can someone just walk into a hotel and assassinate a politician without being caught? This is the Meiji era, not the days of the Bakumatsu! These things shouldn't be able to occur to now!"

"If he were an ordinary criminal, he would not have escaped. But this Fujita Goro was a policeman! And a highly ranked one at that. He knows how the system operates."

"Still, someone as important as Sakamoto should have been kept under closer watch! This should have never been allowed to happen! I wouldn't be surprised to learn this was some sort of Meiji conspiracy!"

There was a general chorus of agreements from the men in the seats across from Shinomori. The ninja frowned. Had he heard correctly? A police officer named Fujita Goro was wanted for murder?

Fujita might have been just another cop as far as most folks were concerned, but Shinomori knew better. The man in question was truly Saito Hajime, former Third Captain of the Shinsengumi and a dangerous person to have as your enemy. Nevertheless, the man had his honor and his code of Aku. Soku. Zan. For him to even consider assassinating someone, that person would have to be completely corrupt.

So the man either deserved to die or someone was mistaken about his killer. His instincts inclined him to believe the latter. The one word that could not be used to describe the sarcastic cop was careless. 

_It hardly matters. Saito can get himself out of whatever mess he's in. It's no concern of mine._ He banished all thought of the cold, calculating Wolf of Mibu. A clear image of Misao formed in his mind. His little Okashira was in for a huge surprise...

~TBC ~


	19. Memories of Yesterday

To Hazard a Guest

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note - Thoughts are in italics. 

******************************************************************************

Chapter 19. Memories of Yesterday

An evil act runs a thousand miles.

-Japanese Proverb

  


A light breeze ruffled his long hair and clothing. He stood with his back to his companions, arms folded across his chest. Before him was a bed of white chrysanthemums that had been planted along the inner wall of the courtyard. Saito absently watched a bee drone lazily among the flowers as he listened to the conversation behind him.

"...and everyone is settled now. Do you really think we'll be safe here? Surely he'll send someone after us eventually!" a youthful voice was saying.

"I'm sure he will. It's a sad time indeed when a former ally can so easily become your enemy. Nevertheless we're only doing what is right. Even an arrogant oni like _him_ cannot long stand in the way of truth. We'll reach our goals despite all he might try to stop us. Is that not so, Saito-san?"

To the casual observer it would have seemed as if he had not heard the question. Internally, outrage struggled with his self-control and he closed his eyes to hide the anger which must have surely been burning in their amber depths.

"Hajime!" It was a woman's voice now, speaking from right beside him. _How did she get so close without me realizing it? And why does she speak in such a familiar way to me?_ Instinctively he reached out and grabbed hold of her arm as his eyes snapped open.

The young woman gave a slight gasp and a look of utter confusion was on her pretty little face. It took a few moment for it to register with him that not only did he know her, but he was in fact lying in a room at the Aoiya rather than standing out in some courtyard.

"Sumimasen Misao," he muttered as he wearily rubbed the last of the sleep from his eyes. It had just been a dream. But something about it felt so real... Shaking his head, he put it out of his mind and sat up. The sudden movement disturbed Tsutomu, who whimpered in protest before curling deeper into the covers. After his son was settled, the cop glanced back over at the Itachi and noted she was wearing a lavender kimono decorated with a plum blossom design. "You're leaving to meet with Chou?" he guessed.

The ninja nodded as she rose to her feet. "He promised to have some information for us today. Let's hope he succeeded."

"I don't suppose I need to tell you to be careful?"

"Iie, but a little concern over my safety wouldn't hurt you know!" Misao teased, trying to suppress a grin and look annoyed with him. She failed miserably.

The cop smirked and cocked an eyebrow at her. "I _am _concerned, Itachi. Like I said before, it would be a real nuisance if I had to come save you."

Misao slyly pretended to admit defeat with a little laugh. "Alright, I give up. I can't compete with you when it comes to witty replies."

"Hn. It's called experience."

"Hn. You can call it 'experience'. I call it 'old age'. See you in a while!" she called out, hurrying from the room before he had a chance to react. The Wolf had taken the bait easier than she would have thought.

Saito growled softly as the girl vanished from his sight. Suddenly it changed to a low chuckle. "Very clever, Itachi," he conceded. _Anou, there's not much I can do now but wait for her return. And maybe plot my revenge._ He quietly fought off the deep concern that threatened to creep over him whenever the girl was gone from his sight, telling himself there was no need for worry. Misao knew perfectly well what she was doing and there was hardly any danger involved with her current task anyway. 

Pulling a cigarette from the box and lighting it, he allowed his thoughts to drift back to the odd dream. There were white chrysanthemums growing in the courtyard. Could it have actually been a memory from the first time he had visited the inn? Had he really ever had such a conversation? But who had they been talking about? And who was doing the speaking? _Shimatta! Why couldn't I have been facing the man?! Baka dream..._

He still had too many questions and not enough remembered fragments to provide the answers. Still, perhaps there had been some clue. All at once it dawned on him. The man in the dream had called him 'Saito'! But the last time he had openly gone by the name 'Saito Hajime' was during the Bakumatsu, when he was a Captain of the Shinsengumi. He supposed his subconscious _could_ have dredged it up since Misao always called him by his old name. Still, he should at least consider the possibility that whatever this grudge was over went back further than he originally figured.

The cop began to sift back through his memories of everything that had occurred during the ambush, searching for anything to confirm this new suspicion. He recalled his apprehension about opening the door and the sound of the guns being readied to fire. And he heard once more the gruff voice greeting him. Of course he had not paid his would-be killer's words much attention at the time. That tended to happen when one was trying to keep from being riddled with bullets. Had the ahou said anything useful?

Slowly but surely, he drew the long forgotten statement from the depths of his memory. _'Konnichiwa Saito-san. How very kind of you to join us. However I'm afraid you have only come all this way to die for your treason. Gomen nasai.'_

"Kuso," the Wolf grumbled under his breath. The stranger had called him 'Saito-san'. He should have known all along this was unfinished Shinsengumi business. 

The question now was, what had the man meant by 'treason'? Who had he betrayed? The Ishin dogs had beheaded Kondou, their leader, on the grounds that he was a 'traitor' to the Emperor. That was a lie of course, but many believed it to be true of all the Miburo. It seemed logical to start with the most obvious opponents of the Shinsengumi, so with a grunt he began to go down the list of every encounter he ever had with his former groups' most bitter foes. _This is definitely going to take a while..._

************************

Chou was already impatiently waiting in the ally when Misao arrived. He glanced up at her sulkily before leaning back against the side of the building next to him and closing his eyes.

Walking up beside him, the ninja was mildly surprised when the broom-headed cop continued to ignore her. After about a minute of the silent treatment she began to grow angry. Just as she was contemplating kicking the ex-Juppon Gatana in the head, he finally opened one eye enough to peek at her.

"Is there something I can help you with?" he snapped irritably.

"Nani?! Chou, I didn't come here to play stupid games with you! Did you find out anything or not?!"

The blond-haired swordsman's other eye flew open and his jaw dropped as he stared at the young woman in shock. "Itachi musume?! What did the Boss do to you?! You look like a woman!"

Misao sighed in exasperation. "Baka," she muttered. So much of the Wolf's attitude stood explained upon experiencing what he had to work with.

"Never mind all that! We've got a huge problem! The Boss's son was kidnaped the day before yesterday and the rest of the police force hasn't got a clue who's behind it. They even think Saito might have took the boy himself, intending to flee the country with him. What are we supposed to do now?"

The ninja rolled her eyes and groaned aloud this time. "Mou! Arigatou for staying on top of things and keeping us _informed,_ Chou. Tsutomu has already been rescued and is with Saito right now. That's why I had to disguise myself to meet you."

"You mean I've been worrying over nothing?! Che! Gomen nasai, but I didn't know anything about it until this morning. I ended up having to go all the way to Osaka myself to get that information you wanted."

"Were you able to find out anything about Ito and his friends?"

"Actually, it's what I _didn't_ find out that interests me. Ito seems to have turned up in Osaka right around the end of the Bakumatsu. He joined the police about eight years ago. What confuses me is that during all that time there's no trace of him ever having any ties with Miyazaki or that other guy before coming here to Kyoto. But I can't see him getting so heavily involved in something this dirty with complete strangers. Even weirder, I never heard one stray whisper of anything bad being connected with his name. To all appearances he was a completely honest cop. Now why would the man suddenly go rotten all at once? That just don't make any sense."

"And the other two?"

"It wasn't exactly hard to find out anything I wanted to know about Miyazaki Katsunori. At least, not to a point. He happens to be a very powerful political figure in the government right now. From what I've been able to dig up on him, he and that man they murdered, Sakamoto Chikao, were major rivals. They argued over almost every issue, so it's no wonder he would want the man out of the way. And yet I can't find a single trace of any corrupt dealings he's ever been a part of. In fact he's famous for being someone who can't be bribed. So what do you make of that? You'd think a person who could stoop to having an opponent assassinated would have _some_ dirt on his hands.

"Your mysterious one-eyed man wasn't easy to identify, mostly because he's not from Osaka after all. Otomo Haruhisa controls the arms trade way up in Niigata, but he's not well-known outside of there. He's never been a major presence in the business the way Yukishiro was. The only reason I found out about him is because a former associate of mine sometimes works out of that port. He was pretty shocked to hear the man had set up operations here in Kyoto and in such a bold manner. Otomo is normally more cautious about his little endeavors. 

"Basically we have two men with clean backgrounds and a third who's not exactly your next Shishio. Furthermore there's nothing in their recent pasts which connects the three of them. They have no apparent motive for their crimes other than maybe greed, something at least the first two's histories would argue against. And yet despite that, here they all are involved in one of the nastiest affairs I've ever come across and everything they've done so far would suggest they have a very personal grudge against the Boss. Now how do you read this little riddle, Itachi?"

"You said you were able to track Ito's past back to the Bakumatsu. What about before then?"

"Nothing. It's like the man didn't even exist till then. Same with Miyazaki."

"Then whatever the reason they're doing all this, it goes back to something that occurred during the war, when Saito was a member of the Shinsengumi."

"That was the only conclusion I could draw."

"But why?"

"Haven't you learned by now that just because the times change don't mean people's hearts do? Isn't that what's behind the feud between the Boss and the Battousai? Saito, even now, there are things that happened back then he can't let go of. These men who are after him, it's the same for them. Whatever they went through was not the sort of experience a person easily forgets."

"Chou... You're not saying Saito deserves this are you?!"

"'Deserves it', Itachi? I guess that would depend on who you asked, now wouldn't it? Do you believe the Battousai is a good man?"

"Nani?! Of course I do! What sort of question is that?!"

"A legitimate one. You know all about what he did during the war, but it don't matter to you since you weren't affected. There are others out there though who aren't so lucky. It don't matter to those folks how much he's done to help other people. All his good deeds are just salve for his own soul. None of it did squat for those who were hurt by his earlier actions. If you were to ask those people today what they thought, they'd probably tell you that he deserved to die. And it wouldn't be because the one's saying it were bad folks. But that don't make him a bad person either. There are as many who call him a hero for the exact same reasons those others despise him. The things he did that hurt some might have saved their lives. It's simply a matter of how you look at things.

"That's the true nature of war, Itachi. Nothing is black and white and no one who fights is completely innocent or guilty. Everybody hurts everyone else claiming they were only doing what was right. That's why those wounds are always the hardest to heal. Nobody ever wants to admit they were partly in the wrong. It's easier to just keep blaming it all on the other side.

"Of course, none of that has anything to do with what these men did to Sakamoto. There's nothing they can say that would justify his murder. Whatever their grievance with Saito is about, it don't give them the right to hurt innocent bystanders that way. This isn't the Bakumatsu anymore."

"Don't forget they murdered the innkeeper too. I found a witness who heard the gunshots. He also noticed that Saito was wounded when he came out of the inn and saw some of Otomo's thugs chasing him from the scene. And he told me that Ito threatened the people who tried to come forward, so we can prove that he tried to cover up the incident."

"Anou, you can prove Ito's involvement with one crime and cast doubt on whether the Boss was the person who killed Sakamoto. But is that really enough? It's true Ito and Takahashi are known to associate, but there's no tangible link between Ito and that case. It's still going to be your word against a cop's to some extent. However, there was a little detail brought to my attention that might could change all that. If I'm right, I can show Ito was directly a part of the Sakamoto murder as well as the one at the Onbin-yoru. Give me a chance to check into it and I'll let you know what I find out tomorrow. The Boss can decide then how he wants to handle things."

"Alright. If you think it's important then I'll trust you."

The cop chuckled slightly. "Never would have thought I'd be hearing those words coming from _you,_ Itachi. Anou, I guess I'd better be getting back to the station," he said as he began to walk away. Misao fell in behind him and they soon emerged back onto the main street.

Chou paused, turning to face the ninja once more. "I'll drop by the Aoiya around midday tomorrow. And I'm going to be rather irritated if there's no lunch waiting on me when I arrive."

"After all you've done to help us, I guess I can be persuaded to give you one free meal. Arigatou Chou! You don't know what this means to us!" she returned with a bright smile.

Before they could go their separate ways, another voice broke into the conversation. "Sawagejou-san, since you find this lovely young lady so much more charming than your job, perhaps you would care to introduce us?" Spinning around in surprise, they found Ito Naruaki was standing only a few feet away.

Misao was barely able to keep herself from gasping in horror. _How much did he hear?!_

Chou grinned nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "Gomen, Ito-san. This is Makimachi Misao, an old friend of mine. Her Jiya up and left a few days ago without telling anyone where he was going. She asked me to check up on him. That's what my little trip to Osaka was for. I was just letting her know everything is fine. He had a friend who took ill suddenly is all."

"Naruhodo. Anou, I'm glad it turned out alright for you Makimachi-san. But now if you'll excuse him, Sawagejou-san needs to return to work."

"Of course, Ito-san. Sumimasen for the inconvenience. I'll see you tomorrow, Chou. Ja ne." Though it turned her stomach, the ninja forced herself to smile and give a polite bow to the older cop. Offering the ex-Juppon Gatana one last grateful glance for his quick lie, she hurried off down the street.

Chou muttered his own apology and took off in the direction of the police station. Ito lingered behind for a moment, frowning as he cast one last look after the young woman's retreating form. The Aoiya. Hadn't he heard that name somewhere only recently? Shaking his head, he pushed aside his curiosity about Chou's little female friend. He had bigger problems to worry about. Like figuring out where a certain traitor could be hiding...

**************************

Misao stopped by the little shop to purchase more cigarettes. Since Saito had laid down a ban on chocolate, she wandered over to a display of European toys and found a little replica steam engine to entertain Tsutomu. It was a bit costly, but she had come prepared for that.

The music box was still there, it's delicate melody wafting through the shop. The ninja sighed, wishing again she could afford such a luxury. She tried desperately not to gawk longingly at the fancy wooden gizmo as she exited the store.

The steam engine's arrival at the Aoiya was greeted with shouts of delight. Even Saito had to allow himself a small smile over the child's excitement. The cop slipped an arm around Misao's waist and there were unspoken words of thanks in his amber eyes when their gazes met. Once they were certain the boy was absorbed in his play, they stepped away into another room to talk.

"Ito came up clean and, until his move here, it appears he has been living in Osaka since the end of the Bakumatsu. Chou also couldn't find anything to link him to the other two men prior to this situation. In fact, one of them had been living all the way up in Niigata. But the war was as far back as he could trace him, so he thinks that maybe..."

Folding his arms across his chest, Saito cut her off. "This is over some incident that happened when I was with the Shinsengumi," he stated flatly. "I just figured that out myself. It suddenly came to me that the person who spoke to me when I was ambushed called me 'Saito'. Very few know me by that name, because I only went by it during the war. You mentioned that one of the men was from Niigata? So I assume Chou was able to find out at least a little something useful?"

"Anou... Not really. The guy I tracked Ito back to is Miyazaki Katsunori, a political rival of Sakamoto's"

"Hn. So he used his quarrel with me as an opportunity to get rid of his opposition in the government."

"That's how it appears. The Niigata man is your smuggler. He's not a large figure in the underworld though. Chou was barely able to identify him as Otomo Haruhisa. He... Saito?!" Misao's eyes widened and she gasped as the Wolf's hand clamped down on her arm.

"Otomo Haruhisa? He was positive about that?"

"He said he was. What is it? Who was this Otomo person?"

Releasing his grip on her, the cop leaned back against the wall and pulled out a cigarette. It seemed he had every intention of keeping whatever it was he knew to himself as he lit the stick of tobacco and took a long drag off of it. The young woman was just about to snatch it away and demand answers when he spoke up on his own.

"Otomo Haruhisa was a member of the Shinsengumi under Toudou Heisuke's command."

"Nani?! But why would someone in the Shinsengumi want to kill you?!"

"It began with a man named Yamanami Keisuke. He had been with Kondou and Hijikata since before the group formed, back when our Commander was the master of a dojo in Tama called the Shieikan."

"Your leader was the master of a dojo like Kaoru-san?!"

The ninja let out a little squeak of fright as an angry amber glare bore into her. "He was _hardly_ anything like the Tanuki. Besides, that dump your friend owns can barely be called a dojo. The Shieikan might have been poor, but it's patrons were some of the greatest men of their time."

"And this Yamanami person was one of those people? So what happened?"

"To be honest, I don't know the full details myself. When I first joined, he was a Vice-Commander like Hijikata. As time wore on however, he just seemed to stop being a part of things. Okita told me that his views had begun to tend toward "Sonno joi", the same belief our foes from the Ishin held. Naturally, Kondou and Hijikata isolated him from the rest of us to try and avoid any internal conflicts.

"Ultimately it didn't work. Yamanami eventually broke one of the main laws of the Shinsengumi. He tried to leave the group. For that Hijikata showed no mercy. After Yamanami was brought back by Okita, he was forced to commit seppuku. Many called Hijikata an oni for that, but he was merely doing what he had to do. How could he have possibly justified letting his former friend go with a lesser punishment when so many had already been disciplined in the same harsh manner? He had been placed in a position were he could not win, so he took the only real option he had - he carried out his duty as our Vice-Commander and shed his tears in private.

"The effect on the group was dramatic. Yamanami was a well-respected and liked individual. Everyone had assumed that as a friend of the leaders, he would get some sort of reprieve. So when Hijikata actually went through with his sentence... Hn, let's just say it frightened the weaker members. It turns out that one of these people was our military advisor at the time, Itou Kashitarou. He had been harboring similar ideas and for him that was the final straw. He too decided to leave the Shinsengumi, but unlike Yamanami he had no intention of going alone.

"Itou had by this time already quietly gathered himself a band of followers from within the Shinsengumi itself. With this group he intended to set up a rival faction in support of the Emperor. However he made one crucial error in judgement and Hijikata became aware of his plans, allowing him to arrange for a spy to infiltrate their ranks.

"He attempted to recruit one of the men hailed as the Shinsengumi's three strongest swords into his own group. Such a move would not only deal a critical blow to the Miburo's strength, but it would boost his own faction's standing with the Ishin. After all, all of the Captains of the first three units had fought their legendary Battousai to a draw on numerous occasions. Okita of course was out of the question. Nagakura Shinpachi, the Captain of the Second Unit, must have appeared equally unapproachable due to the fact that his ties with the leaders also went back to the Shieikan. So it was to the last member of the trio that he made his appeal."

"Itou came to you," Misao said, remembering all the stories about how strong the Third Captain of the Shinsengumi had been. A feeling of dread began to build in her stomach.

"Hai, he came to me. I feigned interest, then immediately reported the betrayal to Hijikata. Just because I didn't have the connection to him that Okita and Nagakura had, it didn't mean that I had no reason to feel loyalty or gratitude toward the Vice-Commander. He was the one who had taught me the philosophy that has governed my entire life since: Aku. Soku. Zan. 

"Being the practical person that he was, Hijikata decided to use the situation to his own advantage. He knew that Itou must have already made contacts within the Ishin and he wanted to know who these people were. He also feared the military advisor might be leaving spies behind in our own ranks. I was instructed to accept Itou's "invitation" in order to investigate the matter.

"Altogether fifteen men packed up and departed from the Shinsengumi. Two of them were fellow Captains, Toudou Heisuke and Suzuki Mikisaburou. It didn't really catch anyone off-guard when they left. Suzuki was Itou's younger brother and Toudou had been close to Yamanami. My leaving caused a bit more of a stir. And among the lower-ranking men who left was Otomo Haruhisa."

"So you were a spy for Hijikata. There must have been a lot of that sort of thing during the war. Why does he hate you so much that he would return after all this time to get revenge? What happened and what does the Shirokiku have to do with it all?"

"Patience, Itachi. I was getting to that. It just so happens the Shirokiku was the inn that Itou lodged us in afterwards. We remained there for some time as he continued to forge an alliance with the Ishin. In the meantime, I was carrying out Hijikata's orders behind his back. Eventually it was decided that I had discovered everything the Shinsengumi needed to know and I received new orders. I was to kill Itou.

"The job itself was easy enough to carry out. The man trusted me and allowed himself to be in a room alone with me. Another fatal mistake. But just after I had completed my task, one of the younger men who had joined with him unexpectedly entered the room and raised the alarm. I deeply regretted having to dispatch the boy since he had shown promise as a swordsman, but he would not get out of my way.

"By the time I reached the courtyard, some of the other men had responded to the outcry. One of them was Otomo. Ever the ahou, he tried to fight me and in the process my sword slashed his face. As I recall now, the last I saw of him he was holding his right eye. That must have been when he lost it..."

Abruptly Saito broke off his story, his eyes registering shock as some sort of realization came to him. Misao heard his sharp intake of breath over the unpleasant memory. Before she could question him, the cop exploded in outrage and frustration. A vicious snarl ripped from his throat as his fist collided with the wall next to him. The thin wooden partition cracked and splintered, leaving a large dent behind when he withdrew his hand. For several long seconds he shook in silent fury as he struggled to regain control of himself. 

"Hajime?" the young woman asked uncertainly. She started to reach for him, but stopped just short of touching the Wolf, not knowing how he would react.

Finally he exhaled raggedly and raked a hand through his short hair. "That yarou. So that's where I remembered him from. He's been flaunting the whole reason for all of this in my face the entire time and I failed to see it. How annoying."

"Nani? Who...?"

"Hn. Ito. I barely recall him even now because he was a fairly new recruit when it all happened. I don't even know why Hijikata let the ahou in the door. Now what the hell was his real name? Togashi something... Anou, I hope he enjoyed his time parading that false identity under my nose. He'll have cause to regret it soon.

"After I injured his friend Ito, or rather Togashi, screamed at me they would get revenge someday. I ignored him, not considering them a threat to begin with. I seriously doubted he or Otomo would live out the next few hours. You see, I knew Hijikata would send men to finish the job I started. My part was simply to ensure that Itou himself did not get out of the inn alive.

"The Shinsengumi fought with Itou's followers and many of them were slain, including Toudou Heisuke. Itou's brother, Suzuki, managed to escape with a few men. They made an attempt on Okita and Kondou's lives a short time later, but failed."

"Then Miyazaki is probably one of those men too. Could he really be this Suzuki person?"

"Iie. It's not Suzuki. After he gave up avenging his brother, he took their remaining followers and joined another group opposed to the Shogunate. Because of his experience with the Shinsengumi they even made him a captain. It turned out to be yet another disaster for him and you should know why. Your Ahou friend Sagara was part of that same group."

"The Sekihoutai?! But they were all massacred!"

"Not all of them. Suzuki and Sagara Souzou were executed, but the Ahou managed to survive. That artist friend of his that runs the illegal newspaper also made it out alive. I suppose it would have been easy enough for some of the lower ranked men to do the same." Saito sighed heavily. "I thought this incident had long since been resolved, which is why I put it so far out of my mind. I didn't think anyone from Itou's group was still alive in the Meiji era. It is for my role in that affair that these men have branded me a 'traitor' and are seeking my life. It is also why they chose to strike at me at the inn instead of a more strategic location. I wish I had some way of knowing who Miyazaki was, but I guess it really doesn't matter. If we snare the other two, he'll be caught in the same trap."

"Anou, I suppose all we can now is wait for Chou. I wonder what he's found out about Sakamoto's murder?"

"He's discovered something on that case? Did he say anything about what it might have been?"

"Iie. Only that it might prove Ito's connection to the crime."

"Hn. He had better not do something stupid now."

Misao groaned. "We really need to work on your sense of trust."

"Do we? You should learn to be more cautious, Itachi. It's because I'm naturally suspicious that I've lived so long in this business," the Wolf smirked in reply. "When is the broom-head going to contact us?"

"Tomorrow he said."

"Then tomorrow, one way or another, this will be over. When Chou arrives I'm going to have him arrange for me to turn myself in to Commissioner Kawaji. I'll just have to trust that the information we've gathered will be enough to convince him of the truth. I won't risk putting you or Tsutomu in danger any longer."

She could not help herself. The sense of dread that had been building within suddenly overwhelmed her. Misao crossed the short distance that separated them and slid her slender arms around the cop. Comfortingly, the Wolf wrapped her up in his own strong arms, encouraging her to rest her head against his chest as she tried to combat her fears for his safety. 

It was a terrifying thought that after finally finding a man who cared about her the way she did for him, he could so easily be taken away. Aoshi had never been meant to be. She had come to accept that. But with Saito there was a real chance at a future together. Nothing, she vowed, was going to come between her and happiness this time.

************************

  


Glancing up, Ito had to scowl. Sawagejou was huddled off in a corner talking to another officer, Tani Kitarou. Something about the cop had begun to bother him. Could it be that he was a spy?

Saito had always seemed to depend on him more than most, but they had never appeared to be particularly friendly. If he remembered correctly, the blond-haired cop's presence was due to a deal he had made with the government in order to avoid punishment for crimes against Japan. An individual who acted purely out of self-interest was hardly the type of person he would expect the former Shinsengumi Captain to depend on when he found himself in a predicament.

Then again, perhaps Saito was still holding something over the man's head? What exactly had Sawagejou been accused of?

Leaving his desk, Ito walked to the small back room where the department files were kept. He quickly located the one on the younger cop and flipped it open. He was mildly surprised when that led him to re-examine the Shishio incident. So Saito had been the mediator of Sawagejou's little arrangement in exchange for information?

The possibility that the broom-head was working covertly for the former Third Captain was beginning to look more certain. It would explain why he had disappeared to Osaka all of a sudden. The little story he had told before was just to ridiculous to be believed. It insulted his intelligence. Obviously the yarou's true purpose had been to try and find out who he really was. And now the man was up to something within the station itself. Why bother questioning an ignorant cop like Tani? If he thought that baka knew anything, he was sadly mistaken.

Now who could the pretty young woman Sawagejou had been talking to be? Ayuta and Jouta claimed that a female ninja had attacked them and rescued the gaki. Could she have also been one of the Juppon Gatana?

Scanning the reports carefully, he soon came upon a familiar name. The Aoiya restaurant. It had been the target of one of the Juppon Gatana's operations. And on the same page was the name Makimachi Misao, Okashira of the Oniwanbanshuu ninjas.

Putting the paperwork back in it's proper place, he quickly exited the room. Sawagejou was heading out the front door, undoubtedly on his way home for the night. Calling Takahashi over, he whispered new orders to the youth.

"It would seem Officer Sawagejou has become a problem. You're going to follow him and deal with this situation - quietly."

"Ito-san?! B-but I...."

"You are aware that if he were to stumble across something...incriminating...you're caught right in the middle of this, ne? It would be in your best interests to co-operate.

The younger cop visibly paled. Not wanting to contemplate what the punishment for murdering a politician might be, he complied. "Sawagejou will be taken care of immediately, I assure you."

"Very good. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to deal with the other part of our problem."

Takahashi bowed and hurried out of the station to trail the other cop. His superior smiled is satisfaction, confident that the situation was _finally_ back under his control. Departing from the police building a few moments after his associate, he began to walk at a brisk pace in the direction of the Miyazaki estate.

************************

Miyazaki sat at his desk with a glass of Western brandy in his hand. He would have preferred a cup of good sake, but he did have a "progressive" image to maintain. Wearily he glared across the room at his accomplice, Otomo, who was cleaning one of his many firearms.

With a sigh he took a sip of the foreign spirits. He had no idea why he had bothered to listen to Ito and allowed him to bring that ahou in on this. The man had proved to be spectacularly useless so far.

Just then someone tapped on the study door. Instead of waiting to be invited in, the person swung it open and stepped inside. Ito met his annoyed gaze with a cheerful smile.

"Time to gather your men, Otomo-san," he said without every breaking eye contact with the lean politician. "I know where our old friend Saito is hiding."

~TBC ~

  
  



	20. Intruders in the Night

To Hazard a Guest

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note - Thoughts are in italics.

Chapter 20. Intruders in the Night

Men regard it as their right to return evil for evil - and if they cannot, feel they have lost their liberty.

-Aristotle

Chou was rather pleased with himself as he approached the nagaya complex where he lived. His little conversation with Tani Kitarou had proved to be most enlightening.

It had been troubling him from the start how anyone could have managed to get in and out of the hotel without being seen. This same question must have been on the mind of one of his superiores as well, because it finally come out that in addition to the heavily guarded main and side entrances there was an employee door that led into the kitchen area. This door was normally kept locked after dark.

Originally two guards were supposed to be overseeing this entry at all times. They were also provided with a key at night for emergency use. On the evening before the murder, Saito had supposedly sent a notice to the men on duty that the night watch was suspended since the door was locked anyway and demanded that the key be sent to him immediately. This would have given him easy access to the hotel.

Naturally there was one serious flaw with this story. Saito had been already lying wounded at the Aoiya when the order was issued. Someone else had been responsible for the exit being left unwatched and was in possession of the key at the time in question.

It had not taken him long to find out Tani was one of the men on duty that night. A short time later he caught the man alone and casually brought up the matter. Eager for an attentive audience, the other cop quickly explained how another officer had arrived with an urgent message just after he and his partner assumed the watch. They were shocked to learn Saito was dismissing the guard on the door but handed over the key as requested, never suspecting any criminal motive lay behind the odd decision. Conveniently the "messenger" had been none other than Ito.

It might have seemed insignificant on its own, but combined with the evidence from the Onbin-yoru affair it proved to be very incriminating. Chou's only concern now was that, with all the pressure being put on the department to resolve the case, Kawaji would not be in the frame of mind to listen to conspiracy theories. _Anou, I know just how to deal with that little problem too,_ the ex-Juppon Gatana thought with a smirk.

Takahashi watched the blond-haired cop enter his tiny apartment. There had not been a good opportunity to assault him out on the street. He was going to have to give the man a chance to turn in for the night, then break into his residence and finish him while he slept.

The evening wore on and darkness began to descend. Eventually the light was extinguished from within Sawagejou's home. Patiently Takahashi waited for almost an hour before he stealthily made his way over to the front door.

Not surprisingly he found the entrance unlocked. The broom-head was notoriously cocky and merely assumed no one would ever dare trifle with a police officer. Quietly the cop slid the door open and entered the darkened interior.

At once he felt the cold steel of a sword press itself against his throat. There was a soft noise to his left and then the room flooded with light as a lamp was uncovered, revealing Sawagejou's leering visage.

"So Ito caught on to the fact I'm helping Saito. And he really thought _you_ were going to take down a former member of the Juppon Gatana? Hmph. I'm insulted!"

"I-it doesn't matter what you do to me! Ito's already won!" Takahashi choked out desperately, hoping the knowledge that his Boss was probably already dead might make the other officer forget about him and concentrate more on saving his own hide. Instead the blade of the katana nicked the side of his neck.

"What the hell do you mean?!" Sawagejou demanded with a blood-curdling scowl.

"He...he said he knew where Saito was!" the younger man squealed, valiantly trying to keep from wetting himself.

"Kuso!" _How could he have found that out?! Never mind that! I have to get to Saito before those thugs can! _"Anou, I guess I'll have to deal with you later then. But just to make sure you don't try to wander off on me..."

Chou's sword hilt met the back of Takashi's head with a resounding crack, causing the young officer to slump heavily to the floor. As fast as possible, the broom-head found some cord and securely bound his prisoner. A few minutes later he rushed out into the night and tore off in the direction of the Aoiya.

Saito sat in the dark with his back against the wall. Sighing, he took another drag off his cigarette. Unlike Tsutomu, who was all tucked up in the futon, sleep for him was proving elusive. There had been a slight buzzing at the edges of his senses all evening that kept him feeling agitated, yet the source of this unease remained too weak to be identified. So there he sat, alone and watchful.

Otomo Haruhisa. As soon as he had heard the name it was like the missing pieces of the puzzle had magically fallen into place. It at once recalled to his mind that long forgotten order to dispose of the traitor Itou. After that the rest had been easy to put together. Anou, perhaps not the _entire_ puzzle had been solved. There was still one important piece missing - one that completed the picture. Fortunately it was well within his grasp now...

All at once the Wolf's head jerked up and his automatically grabbed his katana from its spot against the wall. The source of his disquiet was closer now, turning the buzzing into a full-scale alarm. His warrior instincts screamed that a number of hostile ki, far more than he could handle in his present condition, were closing in on the Aoiya from all sides. Confirmation that his intuition was correct came a moment later as a loud thud echoed through the courtyard outside, indicating someone had either tripped or ran into something in the dark.

Ignoring the pain the sudden movements caused, the cop leapt to his feet and shoved his sword into the girdle of his yukata before snatching Tsutomu from the futon. The child almost gave a startled cry at the rude awakening, but a firm command to be silent stopped him. Saito rushed from the room with his son and charged down the hallway. He took the stairs two at a time, then ran over to the Itachi's room and slammed the shouji open. He strode inside, setting the boy down as he turned to face the surprised occupant.

Misao, who had been combing out her long hair, blinked in bewilderment at the intrusion. Though the Wolf was as a rule rude, he would never have barged in on her without a good reason. She was suddenly very glad she had yet to change out of her Oniwabanshuu uniform, donned for an impromptu demonstration of her skills earlier in the day.

"We're about to have guests," he told her grimly.

Instantly she dropped the comb and grabbed a slender white ribbon from the top of her tansu. "How many?" she asked, securing her hair in a loose ponytail. Opening a drawer, she pulled out a bundle of kunai and tucked them away inside her outfit.

"Their number is unimportant. I'm only concerned with you and Tsutomu remaining unharmed," he answered flatly, not meeting her questioning gaze. Moving over to the window, he threw it open to the night.

The ninja's eyes widened and she ran to his side as she realized what he intended for her to do. "I'm not leaving you behind!" she informed him with a small quiver in her voice.

He fixed her with those penetrating amber eyes of his. "You have no choice. If you stay, we will both be killed and my son will die with us. Is that what you want? You're his only chance of getting out of this alive. I cannot jump across rooftops in my condition. Even if I could manage, I would only end up making far too much noise and drawing my enemies right to us. You have to take Tsutomu and try to make your way to the police station. That's your best hope right now. And every moment you spend arguing with me diminishes your chances."

"Hajime...." She wanted to protest, but there was plainly nothing left to say. Even she could now sense the bloodthirsty crowd outside the Aoiya's entrances. They had an obligation to protect Tsutomu, whatever the cost to themselves.

Misao's vision blurred as tears threatened to overflow. Immediately she was dragged into a fierce embrace. Then a calloused finger slipped under her chin and coaxed her into looking up so the Wolf's lips could capture her own in one last passionate kiss. When his tongue swept inside her mouth a firestorm of emotions erupted within her, threatening to sear her heart and burn to ashes her resolve to leave. But almost as quickly as it began the moment was over and Saito pulled away from her.

She watched the cop pace across the room and gather his son into his arms for perhaps the final time. Though she had no idea what was said, the ninja could hear Saito whisper something into the child's ear. Tsutomu responded by burying his face against his father's shoulder, and the young woman had the sickening feeling he understood exactly what was happening. Afraid of upsetting the boy further, Misao furiously wiped her eyes just before the Wolf whirled around and brought him over to her.

Taking Tsutomu from him, the ninja looked into the cop's eyes. "I will take care of him," she promised solemnly.

Saito gave her a curt nod. "Go. They're liable to be here any minute now. Get to the police station and send back help. I'll hold them off as best I can until then." With that he turned and began walking away from her, drawing his katana as he went. He paused by the door to glance back over his shoulder at them. "Do not concern yourself over me. I have absolutely no intention of reporting in to Hijikata just yet." And then he was gone.

Not daring to waste another second, Misao spun about and climbed carefully out of the window. Normally sneaking around on rooftops was no big deal to her, but the added weight of the child she carried forced her to be more cautious in her movements. Near the edge she crouched low and scanned the surrounding area.

There were several men talking in hushed tones in the narrow alley below her perch. She just prayed none of them would think to look up.

Gauging the distance to the building across the way, she clutched Tsutomu as tightly as she could and made one giant leap across the short gap. The ninja managed to land without toppling under her burden, but could not prevent the heavy thud that accompanied it. She froze, waiting to see if she would be discovered.

"What was that?!" someone below hissed.

"Nani? I didn't hear anything!" one of his companions shot back grumpily.

"Ignore him. He's just upset he's missing all the fun," a different voice snickered.

Despite the laughter, the first man grumbled that he had heard "something". Misao did not dare to move with even one of the thugs on full alert and she desperately cast around in her mind for a way to distract him.

All at once the air was rent with earsplitting cries of pain from the other side of the restaurant. It could only mean that Saito had encountered his first group of attackers and someone was paying dearly for the past few frustrating days. The group below her started babbling excitedly to each other, clearly distracted now. Seizing the opportunity, the ninja shifted Tsutomu onto one hip and sprinted to the far side of the roof, away from the Aoiya.

There was a larger space between houses on this side, but with no enemies close by she did not have to be as stealthy. She made the jump effortlessly and continued her flight from danger.

Miyazaki waited impatiently in an alley across the street from the Aoiya. It was decided that Otomo and Itou would enter the restaurant with the some of the men, while he supervised the ones who were to prevent their prey from escaping.

He had spotted the slender young woman who had been aiding the traitor the moment she came out of the window. No doubt the small boy who clung to her in terror was his enemy's son. The lean man could scarcely have hoped for a more pleasing development. It would be easy enough to coax the Wolf into surrendering once they had what was most precious to him in their grasp. He almost called out to the men across the way, but was afraid such an action might drive her back inside and prolong the chase. Once she got a bit closer to the edge of the roof someone was bound to notice her and escape would be impossible.

It was with great exasperation that he watched the girl soar over the heads of the ahous who were supposed to be guarding that side of the building. Even when the ninja messed up her landing and made a considerable amount of noise, only one of the baka yarous seemed to notice enough to even glance around. And he quickly forgot about it when the sounds of a scuffle broke out on the other side of the restaurant. A soft growl rumbled in Miyazaki's throat as the young woman raced away from the scene with the child. Some of these people were going to lose their heads when this was over!

"Ayuta! Jouta! Saito's little saseko is escaping with the gaki. I want them both brought back to me immediately! _Do not_ let her get away from you this time," he ordered the brothers. The weak light of a nearby streetlamp made his harsh features appear even more severe than usual as he spoke.

The two brutes backed away in fright from the odd glint in the man's eyes. He seemed to be silently promising them a new definition of suffering should they fail in the task. Ayuta managed to get out a muffled "hai" and the two rushed off in pursuit, gathering up a number of their fellows as they ran past.

After putting a considerable distance between herself and the Aoiya, Misao decided to leave the safety of the roofs for the streets. All of the jumping while trying to carry Tsutomu was beginning to wear her down. Not to mention that some gaps were simply too wide to be leapt and detouring around them was very time consuming. With every minute being critical it seemed the wisest course of action.

The ninja quickly made her way to ground level on a small side street. Racing out of the alley, she turned into a larger thoroughfare. However she had only gone a few steps when two large figures loomed out of the darkness ahead. Her eyes went wide in alarm as she recognized the two brothers, Ayuta and Jouta, who grinned maliciously.

Behind them another eight or nine thugs materialized from the shadows. Realizing she could never fight so many men at once and still protect Tsutomu, Misao attempted to turn and flee. To her dismay another small group of men were approaching her from the opposite direction and had already cut her off from the side street.

_They won't get us without a fight anyway!_ There was a door to a small shop not far to her right. It was locked this late at night, but the doorframe itself would offer the little boy some protection. Darting over to it, she swung the child down inside it and commanded him to stay low.

Grabbing two fists full of kunai out of her uniform, the ninja spun around to face the gang of criminals closing in on them. She ignored the snickers and guffaws, used to having men underestimate her, and waited for someone to approach too closely. A particularly ugly brute with a shaved head obliged her. She sent him scurrying for cover, howling in pain as three throwing knives bit into his flesh.

Misao quickly snatched another handfull of throwing knives. _Shimatta! I only have a couple left after this. I'd better make them count, _she thought as she eyed the group for her next target.

"Ahous! Don't just stand there! Rush her all at once!" Ayuta snarled at the men.

Not quite so confident now, the gang hesitated as they waited to see who would be brave enough to charge her first. A few of the men had finally started to move forward in unison again, each hoping the others would appear to be the more immediate threat, when a cold voice startled them all.

"If you value your lives then you will leave the girl alone and go on your way. _Now._"

The thugs turned to face the new problem and found themselves confused. One lone man wearing a white overcoat stood in the street behind them. Ayuta and Jouta exchanged bewildered glances. Was the ahou suicidal?!

For her part Misao had never been so relieved in her life. "Aoshi," she whispered softly.

TBC


	21. Truth Kills

To Hazard a Guest

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note - Thoughts are in italics.

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Chapter 21. Truth Kills

He who digs a grave for another, falls into it himself.

-German Proverb

Shinomori Aoshi silently wound his way through the dark, deserted streets of Kyoto. It felt good to be off the crowded, noisy train and able to stretch his long limbs again. Had he been forced to listen to one more political rant it was likely someone would have died. As things stood he could only hope he never heard the name "Fujita Goro" again.

Suddenly someone cried out in pain on the other side of the row of buildings he was passing. Instinctively the former Okashira turned into a narrow alley that ran into the next street over and quickened his pace. He was hardly expecting the sight which lay before him when he emerged into the thoroughfare, yet it did not surprise him in the least either.

Misao was standing with her back to a shop and kunai in each hand. Surrounding her on all sides was a large group of slovenly men intent on doing her some sort of harm. He had no idea why they were after her except that it was perhaps connected to the little boy huddled in the doorway just behind the genki ninja.

"Ahous! Don't just stand there! Rush her all at once!" one burly thug demanded of the others.

Aoshi decided he had seen quite enough. Just as the men were about to spring at Misao he called out to them in a cool, dispassionate tone. "If you value your lives then you will leave the girl alone and go on your way. _Now._"

The entire group came to a halt and gaped at him or turned to their fellows in bewilderment. However they appeared to not be inclined to flee his presence. Apparently his reputation had somehow failed to proceed him. _I must be losing my touch,_ he thought wryly.

"Hmph! Always some ahou or another who's got to try and be a hero. Kill him!" the same brute that had ordered them to attack Misao commanded.

Several men had started to draw their weapons when another familiar voice broke into the conversation. "If I were you folks, I'd be reconsidering that position. Course if you want to die then that's just fine with me. It will save me the trouble of having to cart you off to prison later."

Glancing up, Aoshi saw that Sawagejou Chou had come up on the gang from the other side and was sneering at them with his sword in hand. He did not really need the former Juppon Gatana member's help, but if the man wanted to fight then the ninja was not going to complain. He pulled his pair of kodachi from their sheath and waited to see how the thugs would react to the cop's presence.

The next couple of minutes were chaos. Several of the men broke away from the rest of the group and attempted to jump Chou. Most of the others charged Aoshi, screaming battle cries as they ran. Three of the gang veered away from the main fights however and tried to go after Misao.

The first two men were easily brought down with well aimed kunai to their legs. The last one, mistakenly believing he was in the clear, dove at the young woman. She sidestepped his clumsy effort to grab her and brought her knee up into his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. A sharp blow to the side of the head put him down completely.

There was a vast contrast in the way Aoshi and Chou fought. The former Okashira's movements were fluid and graceful. He seemed deceptively slow as he parried and thrust with the kodachi, yet his opponents found themselves unable to pierce his defense or raise one of their own. The ex-Juppon Gatana on the other hand lacked any sort of finesse in the way he swung his katana. But whatever he lacked in style was made up for in terms of brute strength and savagery. Soon the two of them had left over a dozen men lying still and lifeless in the street.

Ayuta and Jouta once more exchanged looks of disbelief. Things had been going from bad to worse ever since they followed Otomo to Kyoto. Dealing with sneaky ninja onnas and insane bosses was headache enough. Now they were supposed to take on _those_ two psychos?! A career change was obviously in order.

"I've heard there's a new smuggling outfit in Nagoya that's looking for some good men. Perhaps we should check it out?" Ayuta suggested.

Jouta nodded earnestly in reply. "Hai, let's go! Any place far from Kyoto!"

Having made up what little bit of mind they possessed between them, the Kobayashi brothers fled the scene. Finding themselves abandoned, the rest of the gang despaired and followed their example.

The moment they were gone, Aoshi looked around for Misao. He spotted her not too far away, now holding the frightened little boy she had been protecting. Walking toward them, the older ninja gazed curiously at the child. Though he had never laid eyes on him before there was something about him that seemed familiar. If the notion had not been so outrageous he would have swore he was looking at a miniature version of Saito. Before he could question her though, Chou began his own interrogation.

"What happened to the Boss, Itachi?! Why isn't he with you?!"

"Hajime is still in the Aoiya!" Misao replied in a fear-choked voice. She then turned imploring eyes filled with tears on the former Okashira. "Aoshi-sama, onegai! Hajime was shot a few days ago. With his injuries, there's no way he can fight that entire gang off on his own. You have to help him!"

A strange numbness began to seep into Aoshi's soul. Misao had called the cop "Hajime". Had she just requested aid for the man he could have ignored the way her voice broke. He might could have made himself believe the tears in her eyes would have been there for anyone. But she had asked him to help "Hajime". To be that familiar with the Wolf of Mibu could mean only one thing - she cared about him.

For one brief, jealous moment he considered refusing. Let the ahou die! How dare Saito take away what was most important to him?! Was he not already married?! Fortunately he had only to take one look at Misao's distraught face for the logical part of himself to regain control.

What could his allowing Saito to be killed really accomplish other than suffering on Misao's part? Would the cop's death bring back to him what he had lost through circumstances he had created himself? Could she ever forgive him such pettiness? Hai, she cared for Saito. But there was no way of knowing the full extent of their relationship. It was better not to make a hasty, emotional decision and ruin any chance he might have left.

"Take the child to safety. I'll see what I can do at the Aoiya," he instructed her finally. Not waiting for an answer, he slipped away into the night.

Chou started to follow the ninja and was brought to an abrupt halt when Tsutomu was thrust in front of him. The blond-haired cop gingerly took hold of the boy, not sure exactly what he was supposed to do with him.

"Take care of Tsutomu! I have to help Hajime!" Misao ordered before rushing after Aoshi.

"Wait a minute! Shinomori told you to go to safety! Come back here Itachi musume!" His words were in vain as the girl was already gone. "Shimatta!" he muttered.

Warily he glanced down at the child he was holding. Tsutomu simply stared back at him with those same uncanny amber eyes his father possessed. The effect was quite disconcerting, especially since the expression on the boy's face was reminiscent of the one Saito wore when he thought his staff was not doing anything productive.

"Anou, maybe I'll just go notify Kawaji," he decided out loud. Trying to avoid further eye-contact with the four-year-old, he headed off in the direction of the police station at a brisk pace. He sighed, realizing that Saito had him better trained than he thought. Now even a child could send him scurrying to find something to do with the "you're slacking off" look.

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Saito clutched his injured side as he limped down an empty corridor in search of new prey. To give himself a better chance he had adopted hit and run tactics, using the darkness which permeated the Aoiya's interior to full advantage. Every time he came across a small group of two or three men he would ambush them, then vanish before others could arrive.

He had chosen this particular strategy because it did not require near the physical exertion a protracted standing battle would. While it was true he had to move quickly when he did strike, he could at least stop to catch his breath after vacating the area. Yet even so, his breathing was now somewhat ragged and his wound had once more begun to throb incessantly. He could only hope that it was healed enough not to tear open and start bleeding again at this point.

Sweat began to bead on his brow and a drop rolled down into his right eye, causing it to sting. Impatiently he wiped his face on the back of his yukata sleeve. He had forgotten how useful those old headbands the Shinsengumi wore really were.

Disgruntled voices ahead alerted him to his next target. From their steadily increasing volume and the sound of their carelessly tramping feet he knew they were headed in his direction.

He quickly noted there was a half-open door just ahead of him on the right. Beyond it lay a fairly large room, probably intended as an area where Aoiya customers could hold special events. Soundlessly he walked over and stepped inside, sliding the shouji closed behind him.

The cop smirked as he glanced around. Unlike the Western-style banquet halls where most of the functions he was required to attend took place, the room was virtually devoid of furniture and other clutter. The few cushions scattered along the walls and the large painted screen in the far back corner would not impede his movements in the least. It was an ideal battlefield.

Saito had barely concealed himself behind the right hand side of the screen when the door opened once more. Peering out through the thin crack between two of the screen's sections, he quickly assessed what he was up against. The first two men to enter where easily the bottom of the barrel when it came to scum. The larger of them was a brute with a thick, shaggy beard. The other wore his thin, greasy hair in a ponytail and looked deceptively frail. They were followed by a youth with closely cropped hair and a smug little smile on his face. In his hand was a small cylindrical paper lantern which he waved this way and that so they could see the far corners of the room. He seemed to be putting on a big show of being a "tough guy". To the cop it marked him as new to the business, since recruits to both the Shinsengumi and the police often had the same exact swagger.

Luckily the trio appeared to be armed only with traditional weapons, the same as everyone else he had met so far. Apparently the people who lived near the Onbin-yoru had caused Ito enough concern that he did not wish to risk another incident involving guns. Because of that the bearded man and the boy both carried swords, despite their obvious lack of skill with such a weapon. In fact the youth had foolishly not even drawn his blade yet, not considering that his target could easily assault _him_ at any moment. The thin guy had foolishly chosen to arm himself only with a couple of daggers. Unless he had excellent aim with thrown objects, all that could accomplish for him was to dangerously shorten his reach. It was almost too easy to pick off such common street trash.

Not spotting anything significant, the three turned around to leave. The Wolf gave a discreet cough, drawing their attention to the folding screen. All of them turned back instantly and the boy held the lantern aloft so they could see better. Nodding to his companions, the thin man drew a dagger and cautiously approached his hiding place. Just as the thug was reaching out to yank the screen away the cop suddenly shoved it into him. The knife went sailing as both man and partition toppled to the floor.

Springing around the mess, Saito rushed the bearded man with a battle cry more befitting a demon than a human being. The startled lout was too clumsy and slow to get his sword into an adequate blocking position. The cop brought him down with a quick, precise slash to the mid-section.

Even as his opponent fell the Wolf was already fixing his gaze on the boy. The youth had grown pale and was backing away in abject terror. The katana remained in its saya, completely forgotten.

Just then there was a loud crash from behind as the first assailant extracted himself from beneath the screen. Leaping to his feet, he drew his other dagger and launched himself at Saito, intending to stab the cop in the back. Assured that the kid was no threat, the Wolf whirled around to meet his attacker. With a lightening-fast thrust he buried the tip of his blade in the man's throat.

The thug began to make a sickly gurgling noise and the knife fell from his hand. It made a dull thud as it landed on the tatami mat floor. Giving a derisive snort the cop wrenched his sword free. With nothing to support him, the man collapsed into a lifeless heap.

Once more Saito turned his piercing amber eyes onto the boy. The youth had sunk to his knees and was on the verge of hyper-ventilating. His terrified gaze was glued to the thin stream of red that dripped from the tip of the cop's katana. Thankfully the little ahou had not dropped the lantern and started a fire. It had been deposited safely on the floor next to him.

"Do you wish to die here?" the Wolf asked, a mild trace of amusement in his tone.

"I-iie!" The kid barely managed to squeak out a response.

Saito's thin lips twisted into a smirk. "Then perhaps you had better leave _now_. After all, a hungry wolf is not very particular about his prey."

No further encouragement was needed. The youth leapt to his feet and bolted out the door before the tall, lean man with the predatory eyes could change his mind. In his haste he even failed to take his light with him, so that he could be heard stumbling wildly through the darkened corridors.

As soon as he was alone the cop allowed himself a small grimace of pain and stumbled over to the nearest wall. He leaned back against it and closed his eyes as he waited for the worst of the ache to subside. Now he knew why wisdom came with age. It was to make up for the fact that you body could no longer take the stress it once had.

The Wolf's eyes snapped open again as he sensed a familiar presence close by. Pulling himself up straight, he faced the door with a guarded expression. "I'm surprised you had the courage to come yourself Ito. Or should I say Togashi?" he commented as the corrupt officer's bulky frame filled the opening.

The other man gave him a smug smirk in reply. "So you've finally remembered me, Saito-san? That's very good. A man should know why he has to die."

Saito chuckled softly in response. "Anou, at least we agree on one thing. A man _should_ know why he has to die. I've never been afraid to give my life for a cause that I know is right. It's dying for a lie that bothers me."

"Nani?!" Ito's expression changed to the confused, angry sort a man assumes when he realizes he has been insulted but cannot quite figure out how.

"Itou Kashitarou led you people out of the Shinsengumi under the belief that Kondo and Hijikata were traitors to the Emperor. But what did the Ishin he supported do when they overthrew the Bakufu? They adopted the foreigners' ways and turned Meiji into nothing more than their puppet. Your leader died for a false cause."

The other man practically growled with rage. "And what about _you_ Saito?! Why are _you_ working for the very government you profess to hate?!"

The cop found himself laughing again. Who knew the baka-yarou could be so amusing? "It's simple actually, ahou. I couldn't very well fight them all on my own, now could I? However by working within their system I can at least get close enough to strike out at the very worst of the corrupt. It's not a perfect solution I'll admit, but it's better than doing nothing at all."

"Urasai! I've heard enough of your "superior" drivel for one lifetime! Now you die!"

"Hn. I may very well die this day Togashi, but it won't be by _your_ hand. Tell me one thing before we get started."

"What is it?" the other cop hissed impatiently.

A devilish smirk appeared on Saito's face. "What was your first name again? I seem to have forgotten it."

Nearly everything went the way he planned it. Ito bellowed in outrage and charged him in response to the provocation. What he did not expect was the way his adversary attacked.

The former Miburo barely had time to evade the Gatotsu Ito aimed at his head. As he dodged the sword thrust he instinctively brought his own blade up to deflect the side-sweep which followed. Shaking off his surprise, Saito shoved against his opponent's katana with his own and managed to create a little space between them.

A sharp pain in the cop's side warned him to be cautious. Instead of taking the initiative, he fell back into a defensive posture and forced Ito to make the next move.

The other man gladly obliged, certain he had the advantage over the wounded Wolf. He started by making a feint, hoping to lure Saito out of his guarded stance by appearing defenseless. However to Ito's consternation the cop did not react to the trick and easily blocked the downward strike which followed it seconds later.

"Ahou. You'll have to do better if you wish to defeat someone of _my_ experience," Saito remarked in a bored tone meant to needle his foe.

The ploy worked a bit too well. Ito suddenly let go of his sword hilt with his left hand and, curling it into a fist, slammed it into the Wolf's injured side. The blow sent him reeling backwards, gasping in pain. For a brief, critical moment Saito was completely off his guard. The battle might have ended right then had the other cop not made a fatal error.

Ito was no longer content merely to kill his enemy. He wanted to humiliate him by defeating him with his own technique. Choosing not to press an attack, he backed off and slid into the stance for Gatotsu.

"You can tell your comrades in Hell I said 'hello'," he commented just before launching himself at the former Shinsengumi captain.

Realizing he was in danger, Saito pushed the pain out of his mind and concentrated on his opponent's attack. This was the best opportunity to get close to Ito he was likely to receive. Mustering all his strength and speed, the cop evaded both the Gatotsu thrust and the sideswipe, circling around to his enemy's unprotected side.

"Why don't you tell them yourself?! Gatotsu Zero Stance!"

Too late Ito spun around to defend himself. Saito's sword caught him high in the chest, flinging him back against the far wall.

"H-how? The Gatotsu.... It should have f-finished...you..."

"As someone pointed out to me not so long ago, Gatotsu has its weaknesses just like any other technique. You just have to know how to take advantage of them," Saito explained with a smirk.

"You...you ya-rou. You always d-did think...you were so much above...the rest of us..."

"Hn. That's the second time you've said such a thing Togashi. I understand now. To you this has been as much about the fact that I never thought a great deal of your abilities as it is about Itou. Your infiltration of my police department, all your little plots against me, teaching yourself my Gatotsu technique... All of it was meant to prove you're as good as I am. But I wonder who you were really trying to convince Togashi? Me...or yourself?"

Whether Ito heard him or not he could not tell. The man's body went limp even as he was speaking to him and his eyes became empty and glazed. Reaching out, the Wolf jerked his sword free and the shell of his former enemy dropped to the floor like a broken toy. The light from the lantern gleamed wickedly off the blade for a moment before the candle burned out and the room was plunged into darkness once more.

For a brief time the cop just stood there, one hand clutching his injured side. Every breath was agony. Pain laced through his entire being, threatening to numb his mind. Fighting it down once more, Saito turned and headed for the door. He still had two more vermin to hunt down. Exiting the room, he continued on his original course and vanished into the shadows at the end of the hall.

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Miyazaki was torn between rage and concern. A stranger in a white overcoat had unexpectedly wandered out of the night and taken out all of the men left guarding the outside of the Aoiya without hardly trying. Moving like a ghost, he had then slipped soundlessly into the building.

It was a potential disaster. Had those ahous, Ayuta and Jouta, failed to capture the onna? Had she reached help and were others to soon follow the newcomer? Or was he another of the restaurant's ninja inhabitants just arrived home?

Either way the man's presence was a threat to his revenge. He would have to be eliminated along with Saito. Once the Wolf of Mibu was dead, it would not matter to him if his crimes should be exposed to the world. But until the former Captain of the Third Unit had been repaid in full no one could interfere. Reaching into his jacket, the politician pulled something free from its place of concealment.

Just then another furtive figure emerged from the darkness. Despite feeling some annoyance that the baka brothers had obviously failed in their mission, it was a delightful development. Stealthily he approached the new arrival who had paused at the Aoiya's entrance.

-----------------------------------

Misao hesitated to enter the restaurant. It was not the dead men strewn across the road or worry over encounters with still living thugs that held her back. What frightened her was what she might discover somewhere inside.

_What if Aoshi wasn't in time to help him? What if Hajime...?_ Resolutely she pushed the fear aside. She could not allow herself to stand outside thinking that way. Not when the possibility that he was _alive_ and in need of her help was still greater. Determined now to face whatever had occurred within the Aoiya during her short absence, she straightened her back and clenched her hands into fist, then went to take a step toward the open doorway.

The slight clicking noise next to her head caught her attention first. Before she could react, the cold metal barrel of a revolver was pressed against her right temple. A strong hand with long, elegant fingers not unlike Saito's landed on her left shoulder. Concluding that any effort to resist whoever her captor was could only lead to her being shot in the head, the young ninja simply froze.

"Smart girl. Now why don't we go inside and search for your lover together? _Move!_"

Even though she had only heard it once, she immediately recognized Miyazaki's voice. _Shimatta! Where did he come from?! You've really done it now Misao, you baka!_

Reluctantly the young woman led the way into the darkened interior of the restaurant, the unscrupulous politician on her heels with every step. She did not know how, but she had to find a way to get herself out of this mess and fast. Both her own and Hajime's lives depended on it.

-TBC-


End file.
